Background and aims: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments became available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country.
Methodology: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines. A list of items requiring attention has been created. These items were discussed and rated. Decisions were taken by consensus.
Recommendations: We present here the first of the two parts of our Society's recommendations for chronic HCV infection treatment. An agreement was reached regarding the diagnostic tools, the assessment of severity and the up-dated therapy schedules.
Conclusions: This Position Paper represents a guide for the assessment and the therapy of HCV infection. The recommendations are in concordance with other guidelines but are applied to the real-life conditions in this country.