IFNA1 and depressive symptom measurement: With IFN-based therapy in 2015, about 54.6% of patients were not being treated, mostly due to advanced age over 75 years, advanced liver disease, severe renal impairment, IFN-related side effects, and financial difficulty.14 Established side effects of IFN include flu-like symptoms, depression, morbilliform drug eruption, dysgeusia, and pancytopenia.18 More than 95% of patients on IFN reported having experienced at least one side effect.19