Summer reflections: How we made the most of

Hepatitis Awareness Month

As we conclude May Hepatitis Awareness Month in the U.S., it's a good time to reflect on the recent impact of the Hepatitis B Foundation's Public Health Team.

For May in Philadelphia, the Foundation arranged for a Citation from Philadelphia City Council for Philadelphia officially recognizing Hepatitis Awareness Month. On May 2 we gave public testimony about hepatitis B and liver cancer in the city. Also in Philadelphia last month, the Foundation worked with local community partners to provide free hepatitis B screening for dozens of people.

The Foundation collaborated with Vaccinate Your Family to create new resources for adult hepatitis B vaccination that have been sent to over 20,000 vaccine-focused partners. The materials are posted here.

We held a Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Congressional Hepatitis Caucus highlighting the importance of adult hepatitis B vaccination.

Our partners at one of the Philadelphia-area screening events we held in May.

Coinciding with the briefing, we released a B Heppy podcast episode with Carolyn Wester, MD, Director of the Division of Viral Hepatitis at CDC, focusing on universal hepatitis B vaccination and screening in the U.S.

At our D.C. briefing (L-R): DeWayne, #justB Storyteller; Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD & TB Prevention, CDC; Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, president, Hepatitis B Foundation; and Megan Gordon Don, Director, Gov. Affairs & Advocacy, Deadliest Cancers Coalition.

We created a host of new education resources this May, including a simple two-page guide to helping providers and patients navigate the new World Health Organization hepatitis B treatment guidelines. And we released 5 new #BtheVoice Taiwanese videos with our partner THICA.

Finally, our public health researchers are adding significantly to the body of knowledge on hepatitis B related quality of life impact – we have had an astounding 13 articles published so far in 2024!

Recent journal articles written by Hepatitis B Foundation researchers and collaborators

The research productivity of our public health team continues to increase at an amazing rate. Groundbreaking reports they've written appear in key journals and other publications, reshaping the landscape of hepatitis B public health research and programs.

One of the most recent journal articles, "Hepatitis B discrimination: global responses requiring global data," was published in BMC Public Health.

Written by a team including the Hepatitis B Foundation's Dr. Chari Cohen, Dr. Catherine Freeland and Anousha Qureshi, this study aims to describe the lived experience of discrimination, document its impact and shed light on its consequences. It reports on the Hepatitis B Discrimination Registry, which was launched by the Foundation to track and assess the experience of people living with chronic HBV.

You can dive into other cutting-edge studies by our team and colleagues that are posted here. Here are some examples.

• "Major open questions in the hepatitis B and D field – Proceedings of the inaugural International emerging hepatitis B and hepatitis D researchers workshop" was just published in Virology.

• "The role of culturally appropriate mediated communication strategies to reduce hepatitis B and liver cancer disparities" emphasizes the power of culturally tailored communication in reducing health disparities.

• "Quality of life of people living with chronic hepatitis B: The role of social support systems" ran in PLOS Global Public Health. It explores the vital role social support plays in enhancing the lives of those with chronic HBV.

• "Peer support for people living with hepatitis B virus—A foundation for treatment expansion" underscores the foundational importance of peer support in expanding hepatitis B treatment options.

• "Experience and impact of stigma in people with chronic hepatitis B: A qualitative study in Asia, Europe and the U.S." sheds light on the pervasive stigma experienced by hepatitis B patients across the globe.

These publications reflect our unwavering commitment to advancing hepatitis B research and improving the lives of those affected. Keep watching for more innovative research from our dedicated team!

Exciting news about HBV birth-dose vaccination expansion!

This week Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, announced that the countries it supports can now apply to introduce four additional vaccines: preventive Ebola, human rabies vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis, multivalent meningococcal conjugate and hepatitis B birth dose.

Photo from Gavi,

the Vaccine Alliance

"These four vaccine programs were previously approved by the Gavi Board but put on hold either due to the COVID-19 pandemic (in the case of human rabies for post-exposure prophylaxis and hepatitis B birth dose); pending availability of suitable products (multivalent meningococcal conjugate); or appropriate policy recommendations (preventive Ebola)," Gavi said. You can read more here.

June is Men's Health Month

Happy Men’s Health Month! This month we'll highlight preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. The World Health Organization says liver cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths, about 830,000 annually. Liver cancer occurs more often in men than in women with it being the fifth most commonly occurring cancer in men.

The good news is you can protect yourself by knowing your risk factors, and most importantly, get vaccinated against hepatitis B.

Read more here.

The Hepatitis B Foundation is hosting the B Informed Patient Conference, a free event in the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, in Philadelphia on Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The conference is in conjunction with World Hepatitis Day, which is July 28, and will bring people with lived experience together to get information, ask questions and learn about all things hepatitis B.

There is no charge; breakfast and lunch will be served. There will be many opportunities for networking and meeting providers! Registration is required to secure your spot. You can use the website or email catherine.freeland@hepb.org or call 215-489-4900.

Upcoming webinar: Under-screened & unexplored

hepatitis delta in Sub-Saharan Africa

Set for Thursday, June 20 at 10 a.m., EDT, the webinar will feature Dr. Ijeoma Ifeorah, who will cover the epidemiology and disease burden of HBV and HDV in sub-Saharan Africa, how to increase awareness of and screening for the viruses utilizing current global guidelines to recognize individuals at risk for developing HDV infection, and how best to provide support for patients after their diagnosis. We hope you can join us!

#BtheVoice featured storytellers from Romania and Uganda

Cosmin's story

Musa's story

Amon's story

In recognition of Men's Health Month, we've released new stories from three men as part of our global #BtheVoice storytelling campaign, which conveys powerful, personal accounts from people affected by hepatitis B, a disease that currently affects nearly 300 million people worldwide. 

The new storytellers – Cosmin, Musa and Amon – talk about the importance of early testing and awareness, demonstrating that a normal life with hepatitis B is possible.

Are you interested in telling your story of how hepatitis B has affected your life? We want to hear from you. Learn more here.

New Blog Post: CHIPO partner highlight,

Hepatitis Aid Organization

This month, we are excited to spotlight the Hepatitis Aid Organization and Executive Director Lutamaguzi Emmanuel. In a recent interview, he shares insights into his work, the successes achieved, and the challenges faced in building hepatitis care capacity and fostering multinational partnerships. It's here.

The Coalition Against Hepatitis for People of African Origin (CHIPO), co-founded and led by the Hepatitis B Foundation, is a national community coalition dedicated to addressing the high rates of hepatitis B infection among African communities in the U.S. Over the past year, CHIPO has expanded its membership to include over 50 community-based organizations and federal agencies. These members are united in their efforts to raise awareness about hepatitis B, increase screening and vaccination rates, and enhance linkage to care within African immigrant communities.

Featuring:

Lutamaguzi Emmanuel

Executive Director

Are you a runner? Join the Run4HepB Team!

Make miles matter this November by joining the Hepatitis B Foundation’s TCS New York Marathon Official Charity Partner Team.

We hope you'll make your miles matter and Run4HepB… apply today!

All RUN 4 HEP B team members will receive:

• Guaranteed race entry for the 2024 TCS NYC Marathon,
• A personalized fundraising page to collect online donations,
• Fundraising support & guidance,
• Team branded gear & more!

Note: There's a $3,650 fundraising minimum to join our Run4HepB team.

Already have guaranteed entry? You can still join us! Runners who have already secured entry via lottery or qualifying time can receive all the benefits mentioned above by fundraising on behalf of Run4HepB.

Interested in running? Email us at run4hepb@hepb.org for more information.

Hepatitis B Provider Training

We invite you to become a part of our provider training program using the Project ECHO Model. The sessions, designed around case-based learning and mentorship, help local workers gain the expertise required to provide needed services. Each session will include one case discussion and a short 15-minute didactic aimed to empower providers to evaluate, monitor and treat patients with hepatitis B in the primary care setting. Free CME is provided.

Updates to our "B Informed Training Hub," open to everyone!

The Hepatitis B Foundation and partners have launched a cost-free training website, the "B Informed Training Hub,” for people who want to learn more about hepatitis B and hepatitis D. This site provides training, education and resources on hepatitis B, hepatitis D and liver cancer for anyone who wants to learn more. All are welcome, especially people living with hepatitis B, their family and friends, and advocates!

We've just updated the lessons below, which are posted here.

• What Is Hepatitis B?
• Acute vs Chronic Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis Delta 101: All the Basics on Hepatitis Delta Virus (hep D or HDV)
• The Link Between Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer

• June 20: Webinar | Under-screened & Unexplored Hepatitis Delta in Sub-Saharan Africa

• July 27: B Informed Hep B Patient Conference, Philadelphia

• July 28: World Hepatitis Day

• Sept. 11-15: International HBV Meeting, Chicago

Hepatitis B Foundation I 3805 Old Easton Road | Doylestown, PA 18902

215-489-4900 I info@hepb.org