Interferons are proteins that are part of your natural defenses. They tell your immune system that germs or cancer cells are in your body. And they trigger killer immune cells to fight those invaders.

Interferons are medications that used to be standard treatments for hepatitis C. However, newer treatments called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are now the standard of care for treating hepatitis C.

Interferon is a protein released by the cells of the body when they are under attack from a virus or other invader. When interferon is released, it sets off a series of reactions in nearby cells to ...