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  • Are You At Risk For Hepatitis B

      An estimated 292 million people worldwide are living with chronic hepatitis B and most are unaware of their status. Many at-risk groups are Asian and African descended. This month, we join our global community to observe World Hepatitis Day on July 28th - a day chosen to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the hepatitis B virus  Let’s take action and raise awareness to find the “missing millions”! Not knowing your hepatitis B status can cause long term damage to your liver, so it is important for you to understand risk factors besides ethnicity. The CDC’s Know Hepatitis B Campaign’s fact sheet, “Hepatitis B – Are You At Risk?” is a great resource for sharing basic information on getting tested for hepatitis B. The fact sheet is available in 14 languages including Burmese, Khmer, French, Somali, Amharic, Hmong, and Swahili, among many others!  For more information about the Know Hepatitis B Campaign, which is co-branded with Hep B United, visit the campaign website. So if you think you are at risk -  what are the next steps? The first thing you can do is visit your healthcare provider to see if you should be tested for hepatitis B.  A simple blood test can check to see if you are infected or at risk for hepatitis B. The hepatitis B panel blood test includes the following tests:  HBsAg (Hepatitis B surface antigen) - A "positive" or "reactive" HBsAg test result means that the person is infected with hepatitis B. If a person tests “positive,” then further testing is needed to determine if this is a new “acute” infection or a “chronic” hepatitis B infection. A positive HBsAg test result means that you are infected and can spread the hepatitis B virus to others through your blood. anti-HBs or HBsAb (Hepatitis B surface antibody) - A "positive" or "reactive" anti-HBs (or HBsAb) test result indicates that a person is protected against the hepatitis B virus. This protection

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/risk-factors-hepatitis-b/
  • Commentary on the Cure: What Happened to the Cure for Hepatitis B?

        A common question among people living with hepatitis B and their families is, "What happened to the cure for hepatitis B?" You can find answers in a new commentary by Dr. Timothy Block, HBF president and co-founder; Dr. Chari Cohen, senior vice president; and Maureen Kamischke, our director of international engagement. The Hepatitis B Foundation’s Commentaries on the Cure is a new series written by hepatitis B experts. The series will feature thoughts and updates about the progress being made towards a cure for hepatitis B. Many of you have been awaiting a cure for years, and we understand that the wait can be frustrating. In addition to providing a look into the drug development process, we hope this series will serve as a source of information and hope for individuals living with hepatitis B.  Over the last 10 years, great strides have been made in hepatitis B cure research. The number of therapies in clinical trial stages has more than doubled, and four potential treatments for hepatitis Delta are in development! We believe that at least a “functional” cure is on it’s way, but it is extremely difficult to predict when one will be available. According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, it takes an average of 12-15 years to bring a drug from research to market. New treatments must undergo a rigorous testing process to ensure that it is both safe and effective for a large population. This process is extremely expensive - costing around $800 million USD per drug - and can be influenced by numerous factors, such as the number of volunteers for a clinical trial.  In recent years, we have seen an increase in interest and investments in a cure for hepatitis B, but more funding and support are needed to complete the journey. The Hepatitis B Foundation will continue to give the hepatitis B community a platform to share their voice, and advocate for the resources needed for the cure. Read the full commentary here.

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/commentary-cure-happened-cure/
  • Join Hepatitis Partners for a Twitter Chat on May 19th, #HepTestingDay!

    … viral hepatitis B and hepatitis C stigma and discrimination? What barriers exist and how are you working to overcome those barriers? #HepChat20 T8. In light of the current environment around COVID-19, what strategies are you trying to implement to adapt hepatitis outreach, education or testing activities? #HepChat20 T9. Who are your key partners in your hepatitis testing and elimination efforts? How do you work with them throughout the year? Tag them in your response! #HepChat20 Plan to share your hepatitis outreach and  event successes and challenges, pictures, and video clips, or use this opportunity to ask the featured organizations questions about their work. You can prepare any questions or tweets you might have for the above topics in advance, or you can also tweet on the fly, re-tweet, or Like a tweet from the chat. The topics are labeled T1, T2, etc. so please respond/answer a specific topic by using A1, A2, etc. in front of your tweets. Remember to include the #HepChat20 hashtag, which is not case sensitive, in all of your tweets. Hosts and their handles for the chat: Hep B United - @hepbunited NASTAD - @NASTAD National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable - @NVHR1 CDC's, Division of Viral Hepatitis - @cdchep CDC National Prevention Information Network - @CDCNPIN (Moderator) Featured Partners Hep B United Philadelphia - @HepBunitedPhila Hepatitis Education Project - @hepEduProject Hep Free Hawaii - @HepFreeHawaii Harm Reduction - @PAHarmReduction Hep C Free Washington - @HepCFreeWA Dr. Robert Gish - @RobertGish Hep B patient voice, Kim Vu -  @KaceyVu1 Hep C patient voice,  Rick Nash  - @hepatitisme Prevent Cancer Foundation - @PreventCancer Confirmed Participants Hepatitis B Foundation - @hepbfoundation AAPCHO -  @hepBPolicy U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - @HHS_ViralHep HBI-DC - @HBIDC Hep Free NYC - @hepfreenyc Hepatitis Delta Connect - @hepdconnnect Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin -  @CHIPO_HBV Liver

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/join-partners-twitter-chat-heptestingday/
  • The Journey to Hepatitis Elimination in Nigeria

    Nigeria, with an estimated population of 190 million people, has a Hepatitis B prevalence of 8.1% and Hepatitis C at 1.1%, based on a recent Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey(NAIIS) report. The NAIIS survey was a National house-hold based Survey that assessed the prevalence of HIV and related health indicators including the national prevalence of two additional blood-borne viruses: Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus. This gives an estimated number of about 19 million Nigerians living with Hepatitis B and or C. The large population and relatively high prevalence rates of hepatitis B and hepatitis C, suggest that Nigeria should be considered a key country for hepatitis elimination efforts. Nigeria’s population was estimated at over 190 million in 2017, and growing rapidly, with projections suggesting it will surpass the United States to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050 The Journey to Hepatitis Elimination in Nigeria In 2018, Patient groups and members of the World Hepatitis Alliance under the umbrella of the Civil Society Network on viral hepatitis in Nigeria partnered with the Federal Ministry of Health, and World Health Organization (WHO) to organize the 1st Nigeria Hepatitis Summit in Abuja, FCT. The meeting was the flagship event in the country that brought together 26 states Ministry of health officials, academia, and civil society groups to engage on ways to accelerate hepatitis elimination in the country. The event was supported by Gilead Sciences and Roche Products Limited, with technical support from Clinton Health Access Initiative. In May 2019 as a follow up to the Summit, the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program, convened the first Review meeting of all Hepatitis Desk officers across Nigeria in Abuja, with the active participation of the civil society groups in the event. The meeting was organized to review the Hepatitis Treatment facilities directory and share best practices among key actors. In response to

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/journey-hepatitis-elimination-nigeria/
  • Join Us For a Twitter Chat for Liver Cancer Awareness Month!

    … What can people do to prevent hepatitis, or for those living with hepatitis, what can be done to protect the liver and prevent liver cancer? · Q3: What are the barriers that keep people from getting screened for hepatitis and liver cancer and how can they be addressed? · Q4: Why are some communities more vulnerable to hepatitis and liver cancer, and how do we address the disparities? · Q5: How do we engage communities most affected by hepatitis or liver cancer in our work? Why is this important? · Q6: What resources are available to educate others about hepatitis B & C and liver cancer? What resources are needed? · Q7: Who are your key partners in addressing liver cancer? Who would you like to engage more in your work? (Tag them here!) · Q8: What is one lesson learned or piece of advice for others who want to expand their work on the link between viral hepatitis and liver cancer? · Q9: Centering the voices of patients and liver cancer survivors is incredibly important in improving our response and ensuring their needs are being met. How do you do this in your work? How can we as a community do this better? Co-hosts and featured partners of the chat include: · Hepatitis B Foundation – @hepbfoundation · NASTAD – @NASTAD · CDC Division of Viral Hepatitis – @cdchep · CDCNPIN will be moderating the chat – @cdcnpin · Jacki Chen - @jacki0362 · Karen Hoyt – @hepatitisIhelpC · Global Liver Institute- @GlobalLiver · American Liver Foundation- @liverUSA Confirmed participants and their handles include: · National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable- @NVHR1 · Hep B United - @hepbunited · Hep B United Philadelphia - @hepbunitedphila · Liver Cancer Connect - @LiverCancerConn · Hepatitis Delta Connect - @HepDConnect · Hepatitis Education Project - @HepEduProject · Minnesota Department of Health - @MNHealth · Hep Free Hawaii - @HepFreeHawaii · Hawaii Health - @HIgov_Health · Hep Free NYC - @HepFreeNYC · MD Anderson Cancer Center - @MDAndersonNews ·

    http://www.hepb.org/blog/join-us-twitter-chat-liver-cancer-awareness-month/
  • Hepatitis B Foundation, StoryCenter release new #justB stories from people with lived experience

    Doylestown, Pa., May 24, 2022– For Hepatitis Awareness Month, the Hepatitis B Foundation has released five new videos as part of its national #justB storytelling campaign, which conveys the powerful stories of real people affected by hepatitis B.   Since 2017, the Hepatitis B Foundation has partnered with StoryCenter to host six #justB digital storytelling workshops for over 40 participants from more than 20 U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The #justB campaign empowers people with lived experience to share their stories with the goals of increasing awareness and advocacy around hepatitis B, decreasing stigma and discrimination, and promoting testing, vaccination and linkage to care and treatment.  The latest #justB workshop was held in Berkeley, Calif., from March 18-20. It brought together five highly motivated adults living with hepatitis B who wanted to learn how to share their stories to educate communities and inspire action. Using StoryCenter’s collaborative, supportive and participatory approach, participants were guided through the process of writing their story script, recording a voiceover, compiling images and videos to help illustrate their story, and learning basic video editing skills to bring everything together into a two- to three-minute digital story.   Each #justB story reflects a unique personal experience and an important message about hepatitis B. Watch them all at https://www.hepb.org/justb.  Adama, who was born in West Africa and immigrated to the U.S. decades ago, recalls when he tested positive for hepatitis B and how he soon realized that the illness his mother suffered from must have also been hepatitis B. “As I began to learn about the virus, I realized, ‘Oh, I think that’s what killed my mom.” Having lost his mother to the disease, Adama knows the importance of testing, early detection and monitoring for those who are living with hepatitis B. “I take treatment, I learned how to take care of myself... But what about the people around me, in my community, who won’t even get tested? Everyone talks about HIV, about how to protect ourselves, but this hepatitis virus is too much ignored.”  Chelle, a Utah resident, speaks candidly in her story about the stigma she encountered after being diagnosed with hepatitis B in the 1980s. “I felt so isolated. I couldn’t even talk to my family… Sometimes I thought about all the stomach problems I had complained of as a kid. I had been adopted from the Philippines in the 1970s. I was tested for this and that, but not for hepatitis B. Testing for the virus wasn’t widespread at that time. I was called a hypochondriac when the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong.” Chelle is grateful that things have improved since then and that she was able to pursue a career in the medical field. But her experience still motivates her to continue speaking out and fighting against hepatitis B related stigma that persists around the world.   To watch the new #justB stories by Adama, Chelle, Wendy, DHE and FK, and to access the complete #justB video library with more information, please visit: www.hepb.org/justb.   The #justB storytelling project was launched in 2016 in collaboration with the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) and StoryCenter. It was made possible by individual donors and educational grants from Arbutus Biopharma, Dynavax Technologies, Gilead Sciences and Janssen pharmaceuticals.  About Hepatitis B:  The most common serious liver infection in the world, it is caused by the hepatitis B virus, which attacks and injures the liver. Each year up to 1 million people die from hepatitis B worldwide, even though it is preventable and treatable. The number of adults living in the U.S. who have chronic hepatitis B infection may be as high as 2.4 million, which is nearly three times greater than the federal government’s official estimate, according to a new report by a team of public health experts, scientists and physicians. Hepatitis B is a “silent epidemic” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly or chronically infected. Thus, they can unknowingly infect others and continue the spread of hepatitis B. For people who are chronically infected but don’t have any symptoms, their livers are still being silently damaged, which can develop into serious liver disease such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.  About the Hepatitis B Foundation: We are the nation’s leading nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. Founded in 1991, the Hepatitis B Foundation is based in Doylestown, Pa., with an office in Washington, D.C. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org, read our blog at hepb.org/blog, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@hepbfoundation) or call us at 215-489-4900. To donate, contact Jean Holmes at 215-489-4900 or jean.holmes@hepb.org.  

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/hepatitis-b-foundation-storycenter-release-new-justb-stories-from-people-with-lived-experience/
  • DiRx teams up with Hepatitis B Foundation to offer low-cost medications

    [This news release is from DiRx.] East Brunswick, New Jersey, April 14, 2022 - Hepatitis B Foundation, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B, has teamed up with DiRx, a fast-growing digital pharmacy platform focused on generic medicine access and affordability. Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world, and a 2021 study estimated that as many as 2.4 million people in the U.S. live with hepatitis B. DiRx has added two front-line medications for chronic hepatitis B infection – generic Viread® (Tenofovir) and generic Baraclude® (Entecavir) – and will be offering the medications at greatly discounted prices. Specifically, 30-count supplies of Entecavir will be $33, and Tenofovir $21, compared to average retail price of $1,188. To access Tenofovir or Entecavir at discounted prices, patients should visit DiRxHealth.com and use promo code HBFSAVE. Any hepatitis B patient with a valid U.S. prescription will be able to order and benefit from free U.S. shipping, with no pre-qualifications and health insurance required. Known for their exceptional attention to improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide through education and patient advocacy, as well as their focus on finding a cure through research, the Hepatitis B Foundation is a global leader in the field. The organization is recognized for making great strides for this mostly overlooked and underfunded disease. “Pursuing our goals of enabling better access and affordability of generic prescription medicine for all Americans, we are delighted to partner with the Hepatitis B Foundation to help individuals living with hepatitis B benefit from significantly discounted prices for their much-needed therapies.” said Satish Srinivasan, Founder & CEO at DiRx Health. “The Hepatitis B Foundation acts as the primary source of information for patients and their families and has been a leader in funding focused research, promoting disease awareness, and supporting immunizations.” "Access to proper health care for people living with hepatitis B is one of our highest priorities, and that includes helping to ensure they can afford their medications,” Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, said. “DiRx will provide people living with hepatitis B in the U.S. with a new option for obtaining the medications they require, so we very much appreciate the company’s offer to partner with our organization.” In addition to these critical medications for hepatitis B, DiRx carries more than 1,200 FDA-approved generic medicines with prices as low as $3 per month, including shipping. Ordering medicine from DiRx does not require any pre-approvals or insurance. To help more consumers access essential medications, for a limited time, a thirty-day supply (up to $100 per order) is also available for free. About DiRx Health: DiRx is an online pharmacy that delivers savings on commonly prescribed, FDA-approved generic medicines without the need for insurance. Founded by industry experts, DiRx draws a straight line from supply to demand to streamline the path between the manufacturer and the consumer. This lowers costs and makes more medicine accessible to more people. DiRx offers a viable model for businesses and community organizations while simplifying how consumers fill, pay for, and receive maintenance medicine. To learn more, visit DiRxHealth.com, or call 877-FOR-DIRX (877-367-3479). You can also find DiRx on socials: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. About the Hepatitis B Foundation: Hepatitis B Foundation is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide through research, education, and patient advocacy. Founded in 1991, the Hepatitis B Foundation is based in Doylestown, PA., with an office in Washington, D.C. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org and www.hepb30years.org, read our blog at hepb.org/blog, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@hepbfoundation) or call us at 215-489-4900. To donate, contact Jean Holmes at 215-489-4900 or jean.holmes@hepb.org.

    https://www.hepb.org/news-and-events/news-2/dirx-partners-with-hepatitis-b-foundation-to-offer-low-cost-medications/
  • I am diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, can I get married and have children?

    Yes, you can safely marry and have children if you are living with hepatitis B. Please watch these short #justB videos to see how other people with hepatitis B manage relationships, children and families: Wendy’s story, Heng’s story, William’s story. Although there is sometimes stigma associated with having hepatitis B and fear of transmission, it should not be that way. There is a safe and effective vaccine to prevent transmitting hepatitis B infection to loved ones. Be sure your future partner is vaccinated with the 3-dose hepatitis B vaccine series given at 0, 1 and 6 months. Practice safe sex using a condom until your partner completes the vaccine series. Please visit our website section on pregnancy and hepatitis B for more information! Since marriage is a shared journey, so is the journey with hepatitis B. Assure your partner that you will take good care of your health, and that you will make sure to keep your regular visits to the doctor and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Also make sure to involve your partner in every step of the journey, and seek their support when it comes to treatment options, or keeping a healthy lifestyle.  Find more Frequently Asked Questions here.  Page updated 02/09/2022

    https://www.hepb.org/what-is-hepatitis-b/faqs/i-am-diagnosed-with-chronic-hepatitis-b-can-i-get-married-and-have-children/
  • Hepatitis B Foundation's Discrimination Registry

    If you are faced with discrimination due to hepatitis B, please share your experience anonymously and confidentially through our Discrimination Survey. Your experience will become part of our sophisticated Discrimination Registry database and be used to help identify and combat discrimination in the future. Fill out the survey here or contact the Hepatitis B Foundation at discrimination@hepb.org or 215-489-4900, if you need additional assistance.  DISCRIMINATION SURVEY The purpose of this registry is to document and track discrimination related to hepatitis B. Discrimination is defined as the unjust, unfair or prejudicial treatment of a person on the grounds of their hepatitis B status. In other words, it’s being treated differently because of one’s hepatitis B infection. For someone with hepatitis B, this can mean being denied employment, education, training, goods or services, health care, right to immigrate to another country, or having significant burdens imposed due to someone’s hepatitis B infection. It’s important to know your rights. We have extensive information about combating discrimination in the U.S. in our know your rights section. Unfortunately, discrimination is a huge problem around the world, not just in the U.S. We are committed to helping people with hepatitis B worldwide, and this registry will help us learn more about where and how discrimination exists, so that we can offer more support globally. The future of the discrimination registry The discrimination registry is just step one of a long journey. We know from our many experiences in advocacy, including playing a key role in getting hepatitis B covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which provides protection in the United States against discrimination that these issues do take a lot of hard work and time to change. Collecting your stories of discrimination helps us to develop an extensive database to keep track of where and how discrimination is occurring around the world. We will analyze the data provided from this registry as well as content from in-depth discussions with people who have experienced or have a close contact who experience discrimination. Additionally, we will provide consultations and guidance for people who might have questions about discrimination in their country. This data will be used to create reports and journal articles documenting discrimination. Additionally, these reports will guide advocacy efforts that call attention to the discrimination faced by so many with hepatitis B. This information will be pivotal in developing a multi-year action plan to start addressing discrimination globally. How can you help? The first way to help is to please fill out the registry with your personal experience. We need to hear from you. The survey is anonymous, but if you want your story to be used publicly to help spread awareness, please reach out to discrimination@hepb.org and say that you want to help. The second way to help is to donate. Advocacy efforts are expensive, and we need funding keep this important work going. For example, it costs $1,500 just to keep the database up-and-running for a year. Your donations will help us continue this work and move on to the next phase of combating discrimination.  Please donate here. 

    https://www.hepb.org/resources-and-support/hepatitis-b-foundations-discrimination-registry/
  • Commonly Asked Questions

    Your adoption agency should be able to tell you if a child has been tested for hepatitis B.  With an international adoption, it is advised that you do not request that your child be tested in the originating country since the blood test itself could be a source of infection.   Finding out that the child you wish to adopt has chronic hepatitis B can be upsetting, but should not be cause for alarm or stopping an adoption. We hope that a hepatitis B diagnosis will not change your decision to adopt a child. You can be reassured that most children will enjoy a long and healthy life. Hepatitis B does not usually affect a child's normal growth and development, and there are generally no physical disabilities or restrictions associated with this diagnosis. All parents, siblings, and other household members should be vaccinated. Extended family members, childcare providers, family, friends, and others should consider vaccination if they have frequent and close contact with your child. There are currently 5 approved drugs in the United States for children living with hepatitis B. Entecavir (Baraclude) is a pill that is taken once a day for at least one year or longer. It is considered a first-line treatment.  Approved in 2014 for children 2 years and older. Tenofovir disoproxil (Viread) is a pill that is taken once a day for at least one year or longer. It is considered a first-line treatment. Approved in 2012 for children 12 years and older. Peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) is an injection given once weekly for 6 months to 1 year and may include flu-like symptoms. It is considered a first-line treatment. Children must closely monitored by a liver specialist with regular visits and blood tests. Interferon alpha (Intron A) is an injection usually given three times a week for 6 months to 1 year. Children generally experience fewer side effects than adults, but they can include flu-like symptoms. They must be closely monitored by a liver specialist with regular visits and blood tests. This is an older drug that is not usually prescribed. Lamivudine (Epivir-HBV, Zeffix, Heptodin) is a pill that is taken once a day for at least one year or more. This is an older antiviral that results in drug resistance, thus, considered a second-line treatment. However, not every child (or adult) with hepatitis B needs to be treated.  You should see a pediatric liver specialist to determine if your child would benefit from one of these approved treatments. Whether you decide to start treatment or not, your child should see a liver specialist or doctor skilled in hepatitis B on a regular basis.

    https://www.hepb.org/treatment-and-management/children-with-hepatitis-b/commonly-asked-questions/