- . HCV infection with non-1 genotype 2. Acute opportunistic infection requiring treatment 3. Malignancy requiring chemotherapy or radiotherapy 4. Active HBV infection (HBs Ag + with positive hepatitis B DNA) 5. Known autoimmune disease 6. Hepatic failure 7. History of ischaemic heart disease or other serious cardiac disease 8. Serious psychiatric disease which in the view of the investigator precludes the use of interferon 9. Haemoglobinopathy or severe anaemia of any cause 10. Serious abnormality on screening blood tests including, but not limited to: Hemoglobin <10g/dl, absolute neutrophil count <1000/mm3, platelets <90,000/mm3, creatinine clearance <60ml/min 11. If female, she is pregnant or breastfeeding 12. Known hypersensitivity to one of the trial drugs or its excipients 13. Other contraindicated concomitant treatment 14. Any condition (including drug/alcohol abuse), or laboratory results which in the investigators opinion, interfere with assessments or completion of the trial 15. Any other reason why, in the opinion of the investigator, the patient should not be enrolled in the trial.