AARP The Magazine - February/March 2012

For adults with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1
infection with stable liver problems
You didn’t ask for hepatitis C
But you can ask for
a better chance to cure it

compared to peginterferon alfa and ribavirin alone.
Cure means the hepatitis C virus is not detectable
in your blood 6 months after you finish all treatment.
Rob – diagnosed with
hepatitis C in 2009
What is INCIVEK for?
INCIVEKTM (telaprevir) is a prescription medicine used with
the medicines pegylated interferon alfa (peginterferon alfa)
and ribavirin to treat chronic (lasting a long time) hepatitis C
genotype 1 infection in adults with stable liver problems,
who have not been treated before or who have failed
previous treatment.
It is not known if INCIVEK is safe and effective in children
under 18 years of age.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Who should not take INCIVEK?
Do not take INCIVEK if you are pregnant or may become
pregnant, or if you are a man with a sexual partner who
is pregnant.
Do not take INCIVEK if you are taking certain medicines
as there could be serious side effects. If these drugs are taken
together, this can cause you to have too much or not enough
INCIVEK or your other medicines in your body. It can also
cause side effects that can be serious or life-threatening.
For a list of medications you shouldn’t take with INCIVEK,
please see the Medication Guide on the following pages.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines
you take, including prescription and non-prescription
medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. INCIVEK and
other medicines can affect each other. Your healthcare provider
may need to change the amount of medicines you take.
Do not take INCIVEK alone to treat chronic hepatitis C
infection. It must be used with peginterferon alfa and
ribavirin to treat chronic hepatitis C infection.
Serious Side Effects
INCIVEK can cause serious side effects, including:
t Birth defects or death of an unborn baby
INCIVEK combined with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin may
cause birth defects or death of your unborn baby. If you or
your sexual partner is pregnant or plan to become pregnant,
do not take these medicines. You or your partner should not
become pregnant while taking INCIVEK with peginterferon
alfa and ribavirin and for 6 months after treatment is over.
If you are a female who can become pregnant, or you are
a female whose male partner takes these medicines:
You must have a negative pregnancy test before starting
treatment, each month during treatment, and for 6 months
after your treatment ends.

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