This is a Phase IIIB randomized, controlled, multi-centre, open-label study of 24 vs 48 weeks therapy with peginterferon alfa-2b + ribavirin at standard doses in naïve HCV genotype 1 high viral load (HVL) patients who are HCV-RNA negative at Week 4. HVL will be defined as HCV-RNA of >600,000 IU/mL prior to the initiation of therapy. Patients with genotype 1 baseline HVL prescribed PEGETRON (peginterferon and ribavirin) in the usual manner in accordance with the marketing authorization and are viral negative at Week 4 will be randomized at Week 8 to receive a total of 24 or 48 weeks of therapy. Subjects will be required to have their baseline and week-12 viral load analyzed by the same local laboratory using the standard of care test used by the site. Qualitative testing at Week 4, 8, 16-20, 24, and 48 may be conducted either by local laboratory or a central laboratory identified by the sponsor using an assay specified by the sponsor. No additional interventions outside of the clinic's standard of care and the conditions of the Canadian product monograph for PEGETRON will be applied to subjects.