Interferon Alfa–Induced Adverse Effects in Patients with a Psychiatric Diagnosis

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Abstract
Two reports in the Journal 1,2 have suggested that patients who have psychopathologic symptoms before beginning interferon alfa therapy may have more severe adverse psychiatric effects in response to treatment. This suggestion was based on the observation that patients' scores on psychopathologic rating scales before interferon alfa therapy were positively correlated with the scores after four weeks of treatment.1,2 However, we and others have found that patients with a psychiatric diagnosis can successfully complete interferon alfa therapy.3,4 An editorial in the Journal has rightly emphasized that withholding interferon alfa inappropriately, especially from members of a stigmatized class, “raises questions about fairness and discrimination.”5