OBJECTIVES: Combination therapy with pegylated interferon with ribavirin is the standard of care for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. This analysis compares the cost efficacy of of combined antiviral therapy with peginterferon alfa – 2b with   ribavirin compared  peginterferon alfa – 2Ü with  ribavirin for treatment  at patients with a hepatitis C infection  counting for 1 patient. METHODS: A decision analysis model was constructed from the viewpoint of a managed care organization to compare Peg-2b plus RBV (1.5 mcg per kilogram per week plus RBV 1000 mg per day) and Peg-2a plus RBV (180 mcg per week plus RBV 1000 mg per day). For purposes of this analysis, distribution on genotypes and treatment duration and efficacy data were obtained from the published literature. The positive predictive value was calculated for each treatment group for genotype 1, which is determined from the values for early virologic response and sustained viral response. Genotype 2 and genotype 3 were assumed to be treated for 24 weeks. RESULTS: Antiviral therapy of combined antiviral therapy with peginterferon alfa – 2b with   ribavirin is economically more favourable in comparison with therapy in a combination peginterferon alfa – 2Ü with   ribavirin and taking into account efficiency of treatment the difference indicator makes €3293 thousand on 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral therapy of combined antiviral therapy with peginterferon alfa – 2b with   ribavirin is economically more favourable in comparison with therapy in a combination peginterferon alfa – 2Ü with   ribavirin and taking into account efficiency of treatment the difference indicator makes €3293 thousand on 1 patient.