Raising public awareness of hepatitis B and C through a testing road show

Br J Nurs. 2013 Dec 12;22(22):1308-12.

Perrett S¹, Hams P².

Abstract

Over the past decade, as the profile of hepatitis B and C has been raised, a range of nurse-led services has been developed among substance misuse services, prisons and homeless services to reach those at the highest risk of infection. In the UK, it is estimated that up to two-thirds of people with hepatitis C are unaware of their infection (Cornberg et al, 2011). These patients represent those at the highest risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer, and many are unlikely to be in contact with services that offer routine testing. To help address this, the Welsh Hepatitis Nurse Forum (WHNF) carried out two road shows aimed at raising awareness of hepatitis B and C among the general public and offering testing. This paper describes the process, results and evaluation of the road shows that took place in 2011 and 2012. The road show is a unique way in which nurses can reach those who may not have regular contact with health services, and has proved useful for generally raising awareness. Further work is needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the road shows.

PMID: 24335868 [PubMed - in process]

Source

CDC: 1-in-12 Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders have hepatitis B

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 7:29 PM

CDC: 1-in-12 Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders have hepatitis B

ATLANTA, June 12 (UPI) -- Know Hepatitis B is a U.S. multilingual public information campaign to inform Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to be tested for hepatitis B, officials say.

"If you or your parents were born in Asia or the Pacific Islands, it is critical that you get tested for hepatitis B," Dr. Howard Koh, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement.

"Everyone in the Asian-American community -- from individuals, to community leaders, to physicians -- can all help us put an end to this epidemic by getting tested and talking about hepatitis B."

In the United States, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders are one of the groups hardest hit by hepatitis B, which can cause potentially fatal liver damage, including liver cancer.

Hepatitis B-related liver cancer is a leading cause of death among many in these communities. Many with chronic hepatitis B became infected as infants or young children. It is usually spread when someone comes into contact with blood from someone who has the virus, Koh said.

It is estimated 1-in-12 Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders live with hepatitis B. Yet, 2-in-3 do not know they are infected, because the disease often has no symptoms until serious liver damage has occurred, Koh said.

(Source: UPI )
(Source: Quotemedia)

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Congress Offers Free Hepatitis Tests

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), who once battled and overcame hepatitis C, is now a champion for early hepatitis testing. Members of the House offered free screenings for hepatitis B and hepatitis C on May 23 in honor of National Hepatitis Awareness Month. (Hank Johnson)

Legislators publicize condition during National Hepatitis Awareness Month

By Ron Dory, Epoch Times | May 28, 2013

Last Updated: May 28, 2013 8:31 pm

WASHINGTON—Members of the House offered free screenings for hepatitis B and hepatitis C on May 23 in honor of National Hepatitis Awareness Month. Many people who are infected do not know they have the illness.

“For years, I, too, was unaware. But I was tested, sought treatment, and I am very fortunate to have beaten this disease. I am living proof that testing saves lives,” said Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), who has recovered from hepatitis C. Rep. Johnson is a champion of hepatitis C awareness campaigns and an advocate of testing.

The illness often has no symptoms, but if it is diagnosed early, medications can save lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Untreated hepatitis can cause liver damage, cirrhosis, and cancer. Of the more than 5.3 million people in the U.S. with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C, 65 to 75 percent are not aware they are infected, according to Johnson’s constituent newsletter.

All baby boomers, born between 1945 and 1965, should be tested, according to the CDC. All Americans of Asian heritage should also be tested, according to the CDC.

The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, the Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington, D.C., and the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus presented the testing event, one of many other events raising awareness of the disease this month.

Congressmen Johnson, Bill Cassidy, Charlie Dent and Mike Honda, along with Ron Valdiserri, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health & Human Services and John Ward, Director of the Division of Hepatitis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attended.

House staffers, including security guards, took the tests.

Volunteers and supporters of the Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington, D.C., (HBI-DC) gathered for its third annual gala fundraiser on May 19 at China Garden restaurant in Rossyln. Community partners, corporate and individual donors, and doctors and nurses who provide free screening and vaccinations recognized HBI-DC’s accomplishments.

Half of all Americans with hepatitis B are Asian-American and Pacific Islanders, according to the CDC. Approximately one in 12 AAPIs have chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis is defined as an inflammation of the liver, but the word also refers to strains of viruses that affect the liver, including liver cancer, according to the CDC. Being blood borne, hepatitis B can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child at birth.

When Dr. Mark Li, physician and president of the Association of Chinese American Physicians Mid-Atlantic Chapter first began to advocate for hepatitis B screening, the disease was little known in the Asian community, according to Li, and hepatitis B and C advocates did not work together. He has worked to change that, and made progress.

“I was invited by the American Liver Foundation to do an event in Congress in 2009,” said Li.

In addition to advocating, Li has conducted research on hepatitis B. His Maryland hepatitis B project connected Asian-American doctors, and the results were published in a journal for the National Medical Association in 2007. HBI-DC presented Li with an award to recognize his pro bono work screening, educating, and vaccinating people for hepatitis B .

In D.C., funding is limited for hepatitis B testing programs, according Yujiang Jia, chief epidemiologist with the Washington D.C., Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration. However, the city offers vaccinations for hepatitis free of charge through the Department of Health Immunization Program.

Pharmaceutical drug maker AbbVie announced early this month that its hepatitis C virus infection treatment has been designated as a breakthrough therapy by the Food and Drug administration.

The breakthrough therapy designation is intended to expedite the development and review of drugs for life-threatening conditions. The all-oral 12-week treatment is in phase three testing in which the drug is administered to people who are closely monitored. It’s the last step before a drug becomes available to the public.

Source

AASLD members at forefront to raise awareness of hepatitis B and C

Published on May 23, 2013 at 2:26 AM

Viral hepatitis is an asymptomatic disease affecting more than 5.3 million Americans. More than 75 percent of those with hepatitis C are unaware they have the virus.

Hepatitis B and C Testing and Awareness Day in the U.S. House of Representatives will take place at 10:00 am - 2:00 pm in the Rayburn Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) is pleased to participate with the Congressional Hepatitis Caucus, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, the Community Education Group, Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington DC, Caring Ambassadors Program, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, the Association of Chinese American Physicians, and private industry to provide testing for hepatitis B and C.

In May 2011, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released "Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis." The plan runs through 2013, and AASLD -- the leading organization of scientists and healthcare professionals committed to preventing and curing liver disease -- welcomes the HHS announcement that it intends to update and renew the plan for 2014-2016.

Access to care and support of liver disease research are at the center of AASLD's advocacy efforts and Hepatitis Awareness Month and hepatitis testing events are necessary to make Americans aware that they can now be tested and treated for hepatitis C.

Research in the area of hepatitis C has led to FDA approval of two direct acting antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C, and numerous other direct acting antiviral drugs are in the development pipeline. AASLD looks forward to -- and its members work diligently to realize -- the day when an all-oral, interferon-free, shortened treatment can be used to eradicate the virus from patients with hepatitis C.

As research in hepatitis C continues, the fight against hepatitis B does so too, and AASLD members are at the forefront of these battles. We are proud to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others at HHS wherever there is an opportunity to raise awareness of both hepatitis B and C.

• May is Hepatitis Awareness Month.
• May 2013 is the second anniversary of the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan.
• May 19, 2013, was the second annual Hepatitis Testing Day.
• May 23, 2013, is Hepatitis B and C Testing and Awareness Day in the U.S. House of Representatives.

SOURCE American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases

Source

New health education website launched

Thursday, 20 September 2012 21:41 AJPress

A NEW health education website, HepBsmart.com, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, Inc., intended for audiences in the United States, is launching Friday, September 7. HepBsmart.com contains practical information about chronic hepatitis B (CHB), a potentially life-threatening liver disease that affects an estimated two million people in the United States and is the leading cause of liver cancer.

Chronic hepatitis B is caused by a virus and can slowly damage the liver, without causing obvious symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, prevented with a vaccine, and managed with appropriate care – but alarmingly, most people living with the disease don’t know they are infected.

Without treatment, 1 in 4 people with CHB may die of disease-related complications. The impact of chronic hepatitis B in the United States is more severe among Asian American communities.

HepBsmart.com features:

• Information on how to prevent CHB, testing for the disease, and management of CHB.

• An innovative animated video depicting a CHB patient’s journey from diagnosis to care (available in 14 languages with subtitles).

• Educational brochures in 14 languages, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog among others.

HepBSmart.com is an educational website created by Gilead Sciences, a maker of medicines for chronic hepatitis B. The website is part of Gilead’s ongoing effort to raise community awareness of chronic hepatitis B.

Source

New health education website launched

3:34 pm | Thursday, September 13th, 2012

A new health education website, HepBsmart.com, sponsored by Gilead Sciences, Inc., intended for audiences in the United States, is now online.

Launched last September 7, HepBsmart.com contains practical information about chronic hepatitis B (CHB), a potentially life-threatening liver disease that affects an estimated two million people in the United States and is the leading cause of liver cancer.

Chronic hepatitis B is caused by a virus and can slowly damage the liver, without causing obvious symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can be diagnosed with a simple blood test, prevented with a vaccine, and managed with appropriate care – but alarmingly, most people living with the disease don’t know they are infected.

Without treatment, 1 in 4 people with CHB may die of disease-related complications. The impact of chronic hepatitis B in the United States is more severe among Asian American communities.

HepBsmart.com features:

• Information on how to prevent CHB, testing for the disease, and management of CHB.

• An innovative animated video depicting a CHB patient’s journey from diagnosis to care (available in 14 languages with subtitles).

• Educational brochures in 14 languages, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tagalog among others.

HepBSmart.com is an educational website created by Gilead Sciences, a maker of medicines for chronic hepatitis B. The website is part of Gilead’s ongoing effort to raise community awareness of chronic hepatitis B.

Source

Raising Awareness of Hepatitis B In the Asian and Pacific Islander Communities

By Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

This month we are observing both Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Hepatitis Awareness Month. The dual observances are an important opportunity to bring attention to the disproportionate burden of viral hepatitis among the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States and to renew our commitment and call to action to address this disparity.

Viral Hepatitis Disparities in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Liver cancer and other liver problems caused by viral hepatitis (for example, cirrhosis) affect some U.S. populations more than others, resulting in substantial health disparities. This is especially true for Asian and Pacific Islanders Americans (APIs). In fact, an estimated 1 in 12 APIs are living with chronic hepatitis B. So, although Asian/Pacific Islander Americans make up only some 5 percent of the total U.S. population, they represent 50 percent of the estimated 800,000—1.4 million persons who are infected with hepatitis B in the United States. These health disparities are further reflected in viral hepatitis–associated illness and death. For example, liver cancer incidence is highest among the API population. Despite these high rates, many APIs are not tested for hepatitis B, thus remaining unaware of their infection and not accessing lifesaving medical care and appropriate treatment. Read more about this health disparity and what can be done at CDC’s Viral Hepatitis and APIs page.

What HHS Is Doing

The good news is that we do have effective tools to eliminate hepatitis B; there is a vaccine to prevent hepatitis B and effective treatments are available for people with chronic hepatitis B infection. Culturally appropriate outreach and education, including testing, vaccination for hepatitis B virus and care and treatment for those who are infected has been shown to decrease the burden of liver cancer. These are among our viral hepatitis priorities here at the Department of Health and Human Services as reflected in the Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. Since I announced that plan last year, colleagues from across the Department of Health and Human Services, along with partners from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Prisons, have been working to coordinate and implement a number of strategies to educate healthcare providers and communities about viral hepatitis and reduce hepatitis health disparities. The Action Plan identifies the API community as one of its priority populations.

These efforts are complemented and enhanced by the HHS Plan for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Health, which was also initiated last year. The HHS Plan identifies four over-arching health issues that the Department is pursuing to improve the health and well-being of AANHPIs. Significantly, the first of these four issues is: Prevent, treat and control Hepatitis B viral infections in AANHPI communities. The plan identifies specific strategies, lead agencies, and benchmarks that are now being pursued to achieve this goal. This plan was developed as part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which aims to improve quality of life and enhance opportunities for Asian American and Pacific Islanders to participate in Federal programs.

Finally, the Affordable Care Act, the new healthcare law, has become another vital tool in our fight against viral hepatitis in the API community. By expanding health insurance coverage, the health care law is improving patient access to comprehensive viral hepatitis-related prevention and treatment services. Its focus on expanding access to preventive care will require new health plans to cover the hepatitis B vaccine for many individuals, which will keep people healthy and prevent the spread of the disease.

What You Can Do

Improved coordination of viral hepatitis activities across HHS and other Federal departments and expanded health insurance coverage will have a positive impact on our efforts to reduce viral hepatitis disparities in the API population. But, as important as those efforts are, they are not sufficient, by themselves, to achieve the goals of the Action Plan. The active engagement of state and local partners, as well as people like you, is absolutely critical. Please join us in raising awareness about hepatitis B among your families, friends, colleagues and co-workers. Make hepatitis B part of your conversations during the month of May. To help you, the CDC is releasing several helpful tools this month. Visit the CDC’s Hepatitis Awareness Month Partner Resources page to learn more. Working together, we can bring to life the Action Plan’s vision: “A Nation committed to combating the silent epidemic of viral hepatitis.”

Source

Book “Einstein’s Table” Tells Story of Hepatitis B

Release Date: 2012-05-01

“Einstein’s Table: The Search to Find a Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B,” by Kimberly Jungkind, Raises Awareness and Chronicles Hepatitis B Foundation’s Inspirational Story

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT

DOYLESTOWN, PA (May 2012) – The inspirational story of the Hepatitis B Foundation of Doylestown, Pa., has been chronicled in a new book, “Einstein’s Table: The Search to Find a Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B,” authored by Kimberly Jungkind, a Foundation board member. The book’s release comes during May which is National Hepatitis Awareness Month. There will be a book signing offered during the Foundation’s “B Informed” Parent Conference, a free event for parents of children with hepatitis B, to be held on May 19, 2012 at Holiday Inn Express Midtown in Philadelphia.

The only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide, the Hepatitis B Foundation began its journey more than 20 years ago. Founders Paul and Janine Witte and Dr. Timothy and Joan Block were moved by the plight of a young family affected by hepatitis B. Dismayed that the affected family had nowhere to turn for support, the Wittes and Blocks gathered at Albert Einstein’s guest cottage in Bucks County, Pa., for a brainstorming session, and the Hepatitis B Foundation was born.

“If the strength and commitment of a community can make a difference in one person’s life in Pennsylvania, imagine what it can do for people across the nation and around the world,” said Jungkind. “I, too, share the dream of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s founders that this disease will be cured and eliminated in our lifetime.”

Jungkind is a nurse clinician and healthcare marketer with nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has lectured nationally on chronic diseases and disease management, and authored more than 15 articles and texts addressing disease management, clinical topics and information technology. Jungkind is the recipient of the Aster Award for Medical Marketing, two Healthcare Advertising Awards, a Dorland Health People Award, a Web Marketing Association Award, Merck’s Most Amazing Woman award and Wyeth’s President’s Golden Circle Award. “Einstein’s Table: The Search to Find a Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B” is available in soft and hard back editions through Amazon.com, with all proceeds benefitting the Hepatitis B Foundation. To learn more, go to http://hepb.org/einsteins_table.htm .

“We are grateful to Kim for telling the story of the Hepatitis B Foundation and raising awareness of this deadly disease,” said Foundation Executive Director and Co-founder Joan Block. “We are also indebted to her for the 15 years of dedicated service to our Board of Directors. Kim has been a valuable resource to our organization and we look forward to continuing our work together.”

Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection and the major cause of liver cancer worldwide. Nearly 2 billion people have been infected with the hepatitis B virus (1 out of 3) and 400 million are chronically infected. Each year, 1 million people die prematurely from hepatitis B-related liver disease and liver cancer. In the U.S., an estimated 2 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis B – that is 1 in 20. The good news is that hepatitis B is preventable and treatable. However, for the 400 million people living with chronic hepatitis B infections, there is still no complete cure.

About the Hepatitis B Foundation: The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national 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. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org, read our blog at http://wp.hepb.org, follow us on Twitter @HepBFoundation, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hepbfoundation  or call (215) 489-4900.

Contact Info
Furia Rubel Communications
2 Hidden Lane
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-340-0480
Website: http://www.hepb.org

Source

Philippine govt. starts ‘Code Yellow’ Hepatitis B awareness program

The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.

Credits: U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Apprentice Christopher D. Blachly

February 19, 2012

Robert Herriman

Infectious Disease Examiner

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 60 percent of the Philippine’s population has been infected with HBV, while approximately 10 percent have chronic or active hepatitis B and are carriers.

According to Dr. Lemuel Delos Reyes, medical doctor and Hepatitis B Awareness Campaign advocate, “This means that there are already around eight to 10 million hepatitis B carriers in the country who might infect more people.”

To draw awareness on the hepatitis B issue in the Philippines, the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (PCHRD-DOST) conducted a seminar on “Code Yellow, Mission Against Hepatitis” to draw awareness on the dreadful disease.

In a report on the PCHRD-DOST web site Friday, Dr. Gerald Belimac, program manager of the Department of Health’s National AIDS STI Prevention and Control Program said, “Hepatitis B is 100 times more contagious than the AIDS virus. It is also the most common cause of liver infection leading to liver cancer - the principal cause of cancer death in many parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region.”

According to the US CDC, Hepatitis B is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the Hepatitis B virus. It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness. Hepatitis B is usually spread when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact with an infected person or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment. Hepatitis B can also be passed from an infected mother to her baby at birth.

Hepatitis B can be either acute or chronic. Acute Hepatitis B virus infection is a short-term illness that occurs within the first 6 months after someone is exposed to the Hepatitis B virus. Acute infection can — but does not always — lead to chronic infection. Chronic Hepatitis B virus infection is a long-term illness that occurs when the Hepatitis B virus remains in a person’s body. Chronic Hepatitis B is a serious disease that can result in long-term health problems, and even death.

Although there is no cure for hepatitis B it is a preventable disease. The best way to prevent Hepatitis B is by getting vaccinated.

Dr Delos Reyes said, “Vaccination is the easiest and most logical means of preventing the disease. It is also recognized as the most effective and long term means of preventing hepatitis.”

The PCHRD-DOST conducted the seminar “Code Yellow, Mission Against Hepatitis” Jan 30.

Source

“B A Hero” PSA Video Contest Announced by Hep B Free Philadelphia and Hepatitis B Foundation

Help Save Lives and Stop Hepatitis B Through a PSA Video Contest

Philadelphia, PA, January 26, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Hep B Free Philadelphia, a citywide and community-owned education campaign led by the Hepatitis B Foundation to save lives and stop hepatitis B, is calling on the Greater Philadelphia community to participate in its “B A Hero” Public Service Announcement (PSA) Video Contest 2012. Interested participants are asked to create 30-second PSAs to raise awareness about hepatitis B.

There are three opportunities to submit PSAs about the subject of hepatitis B awareness in relation to the “B A Hero” theme. Deadlines are Feb. 17, 2012; Mar. 16, 2012; and Apr. 13, 2012 – no later than 11:59 p.m. EST. There will be three separate judging periods in which video submissions will be added to the Hep B Free Philadelphia Facebook page and Facebook users will have the opportunity vote on their favorite video. Three finalists will be identified and each will receive a prize of $100. The grand prize winner, selected by Hep B Free Philadelphia and Hepatitis B Foundation representatives, will receive an additional $150 and their PSA will be shown at the 2012 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and Hep B Free Philadelphia’s annual media event.

“Hepatitis B is a serious infection that affects at least 2 million people in the U.S. It is often known as a silent killer because its symptoms tend to be hidden until it’s simply too late,” said Chari Cohen, Hepatitis B Foundation Associate Director of Public Health. “By offering this PSA video contest, we are hoping to engage people in the Philadelphia region, create awareness about hepatitis B and help saves lives by having people get tested for this preventable and treatable disease.”

To be eligible to participate in the contest, individuals must be 18 years of age or have consent of legal guardianship and must physically live in the Greater Philadelphia region. Companies that are incorporated in the Greater Philadelphia region are also eligible. Within this contest, the Greater Philadelphia region is defined as the Pennsylvania counties of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery and Philadelphia.

Video submissions can be in any style or genre of film or video including, but not limited to, animation, drama, still art, imagery, comedy or documentary. Videos should be formatted as MPEG-4, 320x240 files. When submitting via traditional mail or hand-delivery, the files must be saved on DVD-R discs and delivered to the Hepatitis B Foundation at 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, Pa. 18902. Videos can also be submitted through the Hep B Free Philadelphia Facebook page or via large file transfer Web services to PSAContest@hepb.org. All entries must be received on or before the deadlines for contest eligibility. To learn more, go to www.hepbfreephiladelphia.org/2012/hepbpsacontest or contact Hep B Free Philadelphia Program Manager Daniel Chen at Daniel.chen@hepb.org.

About Hep B Free Philadelphia: Hep B Free Philadelphia is a public awareness and education campaign that has been launched to address the growing severity of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the U.S. The primary goals of the Philadelphia campaign include raising the public profile of hepatitis B and liver cancer as an urgent health priority; increasing hepatitis B testing and vaccination rates, particularly among at-risk populations; and involving and mobilizing stakeholders and policy decision-makers to improve access to care for both the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and liver cancer. To learn more, go to www.hepbfreephiladelphia.org.

About the Hepatitis B Foundation: The Hepatitis B Foundation is the only national 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. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org or call (215) 489-4900.
###

Contact Information

Hepatits B Foundation
Leah Ludwig
215-340-0480
Contact

Source

Hepatitis Health Action Alert: Stop the Attacks on Prevention and Public Health Fund

Posted on January 23, 2012 on The Hepatitis B Foundation blog

Action Alert! The Hepatitis Community Responds to Health Care Reform. Tell Congress Not To Cut The Prevention and Public Health Fund

The Prevention and Public Health Fund is under attack in Congress once again. Some leaders in the House of Representatives would like to make drastic cuts to the Fund as part of negotiations on a long-term deal on the payroll tax cut and Medicare payments rates to medical providers.

The Prevention and Public Health Fund, part of the Affordable Care Act, provides money each year for vital prevention and public health services. The fund will grow each year until it eventually provides $2 billion/year.

This fund is extremely important to the nation’s fight against the viral hepatitis epidemic. Later this year, the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to allocate $10 million from the Fund for viral hepatitis screening, testing, and education programs. This initiative will greatly help efforts to identify the millions of Americans who have chronic hepatitis B or C and link them to care and treatment.

Please take a few minutes to call Congress in support of this lifesaving program!

What YOU can DO:

Please call your U.S. House Representative and two U.S. Senators immediately. We are hearing directly from Congressional staff that phone calls are the most effective form of communication.

Call the Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 1-888-876-6242 and ask to be connected to your United States Representative. When you reach your Representative’s office, tell whoever answers the phone that you are a constituent and that you would like to speak to the staff person who handles health care issues. Whether you speak to the staff person live or leave a voicemail, tell him/her:

“My name is _______________ and I live in (city/state). I am calling in strong support of the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is an important part of the Affordable Care Act. This Fund is a great opportunity to provide badly needed funding for viral hepatitis prevention, testing, and screening programs and must be preserved. I urge Representative_____________ to oppose any efforts to cut the Fund as part of the payroll tax/Medicare physician reimbursement negotiations.”

After you speak to your Representative’s office, call the Capitol Switchboard again and deliver the same message to the health care staff person in your two U.S. Senators’ office.

Thank you for taking the time to make a difference! Please spread the word.

Get involved with Hepatitis Health Action!

• Sign up for the Hepatitis Health Action email list by visiting http://groups.google.com/group/HepHealth or, email rclary@projectinform.org and we will make sure you are added.

• Join Hepatitis Health Action’s Facebook group: http://tinyurl.com/hephealthfacebook where you can participate in discussions with other advocates and share your ideas and strategies.

Hepatitis Health Action is a campaign led by viral hepatitis advocates working to make sure that health care reform addresses hepatitis B and C.