Dear Friends,
As 2010 draws to a close, H.E.A.L.S of the South wants to remind you that we need YOUR help so that we can continue to help others. We depend on you!
H.E.A.L.S of the South continues to support many online support groups, a live support group, does telephone counseling, educational and informational mailings, testing events, health fairs, speaking engagements, Legislative and World Hepatitis Days and we continue to have the HCV Handbook accessible to all online.
During this holiday season, we want to wish everyone a HEALTHY and happy New Year and a very Merry Christmas. We want to remind those of you who might wish to support H.E.A.L.S work that we are a 501(c)3 charitable organization and that contributions made before the end of the year will be tax deductible for 2010.
To donate, visit http://www.HEALSoftheSouth.org and click on the Donation button or send a check to:
H.E.A.L.S of the South
PO Box 180813
Tallahassee, FL 32318
We thank you for your support--financial and otherwise--over the past ten years that H.E.A.L.S has been working towards Hepatitis Education Awareness and Liver Support. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with you during 2011. Remember to educate others to test for Hepatitis C, be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B and to sign their organ donor cards.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Mahatma Gandhi put it well: "Be the change you want to see in the
world." It always begins with one person.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
NVHR Welcomes Dr. Koh’s Remarks at AASLD, But Warns that Viral Hepatitis Battle Demands Decisive National Leadership
November 1, 2010
Contact: Phil Blando, 202-258-4978
pblando@abmpartnersllc.com
NVHR Welcomes Dr. Koh’s Remarks at AASLD, But Warns that Viral Hepatitis Battle Demands Decisive National Leadership
Boston, MA—In a keynote address delivered yesterday afternoon on chronic viral hepatitis, one of the Administration’s top health officials provided an outline of the forthcoming HHS “federal action plan” on viral hepatitis and pledged renewed federal leadership to translate this plan into reality. Dr. Howard Koh, US Assistant Secretary of Health at the US Department of Health & Human Services, made the remarks before thousands of liver health experts at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) 61st annual meeting in Boston.
“NVHR is encouraged that Dr. Koh recognizes that the viral hepatitis battle can only be won with strong and decisive national leadership,” said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon. “Given all that is at stake, we are eager to review the forthcoming HHS national strategy as soon as possible. Dr. Koh’s remarks yesterday were most welcome and stand in stark contrast to this Administration’s otherwise lackluster response to this urgent public-health crisis. Chronic viral hepatitis is a winnable public-health battle and it’s high time the Administration responded accordingly.”
More than 5 million Americans are afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis B or C and an estimated 500 million individuals are infected worldwide. Most Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis are unaware they are infected. Without targeted screening and testing programs for those most at risk, most individuals only become aware of their condition after their infection progresses to liver failure, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. Viral hepatitis is the overwhelming cause of liver cancer, which kills nearly 20,000 Americans annually.
In his remarks, Dr. Koh outlined six key areas that will provide the foundation of the new HHS national strategy. These areas include educating providers; strengthening surveillance; better care, screening, and treatment; encouraging appropriate vaccinations to reduce the incidence of hepatitis B; reducing drug use; and protecting health workers from infections. NVHR continues to have concerns that the Administration’s funding levels for state-based viral hepatitis screening and treatment programs are wholly inadequate. In fact, federal funding for 2011 is actually less than it was a decade ago. Meanwhile, this crisis has only worsened.
Ms. Sandt added, “There is a strong expert consensus about what needs to be done to address the chronic viral hepatitis crisis. Thus far, we have lacked the political will. Policymakers face a stark choice: we can either invest the resources now to pay for successful viral hepatitis intervention and treatment or we can pay for failure over the next two decades with billions of dollars in avoidable medical costs and thousands of unnecessary liver transplants and deaths.”
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. www.nvhr.org
Contact: Phil Blando, 202-258-4978
pblando@abmpartnersllc.com
NVHR Welcomes Dr. Koh’s Remarks at AASLD, But Warns that Viral Hepatitis Battle Demands Decisive National Leadership
Boston, MA—In a keynote address delivered yesterday afternoon on chronic viral hepatitis, one of the Administration’s top health officials provided an outline of the forthcoming HHS “federal action plan” on viral hepatitis and pledged renewed federal leadership to translate this plan into reality. Dr. Howard Koh, US Assistant Secretary of Health at the US Department of Health & Human Services, made the remarks before thousands of liver health experts at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) 61st annual meeting in Boston.
“NVHR is encouraged that Dr. Koh recognizes that the viral hepatitis battle can only be won with strong and decisive national leadership,” said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon. “Given all that is at stake, we are eager to review the forthcoming HHS national strategy as soon as possible. Dr. Koh’s remarks yesterday were most welcome and stand in stark contrast to this Administration’s otherwise lackluster response to this urgent public-health crisis. Chronic viral hepatitis is a winnable public-health battle and it’s high time the Administration responded accordingly.”
More than 5 million Americans are afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis B or C and an estimated 500 million individuals are infected worldwide. Most Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis are unaware they are infected. Without targeted screening and testing programs for those most at risk, most individuals only become aware of their condition after their infection progresses to liver failure, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. Viral hepatitis is the overwhelming cause of liver cancer, which kills nearly 20,000 Americans annually.
In his remarks, Dr. Koh outlined six key areas that will provide the foundation of the new HHS national strategy. These areas include educating providers; strengthening surveillance; better care, screening, and treatment; encouraging appropriate vaccinations to reduce the incidence of hepatitis B; reducing drug use; and protecting health workers from infections. NVHR continues to have concerns that the Administration’s funding levels for state-based viral hepatitis screening and treatment programs are wholly inadequate. In fact, federal funding for 2011 is actually less than it was a decade ago. Meanwhile, this crisis has only worsened.
Ms. Sandt added, “There is a strong expert consensus about what needs to be done to address the chronic viral hepatitis crisis. Thus far, we have lacked the political will. Policymakers face a stark choice: we can either invest the resources now to pay for successful viral hepatitis intervention and treatment or we can pay for failure over the next two decades with billions of dollars in avoidable medical costs and thousands of unnecessary liver transplants and deaths.”
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. www.nvhr.org
Sunday, October 3, 2010
NVHR: In Fighting for ‘Six Winnable Battles,’ CDC May Lose the Nation’s Overall Public-Health War
NVHR: In Fighting for ‘Six Winnable Battles,’ CDC May Lose the Nation’s Overall Public-Health War
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In response to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Thomas Frieden’s release of “six winnable battles” in health care, Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon, released the following statement:
“The CDC’s newly released ‘six winnable battles’ strategy makes a mockery of the broad-based, comprehensive, and integrated public-health strategy that our nation so desperately needs. In seeking to win six narrowly defined health care battles, the CDC may well lose the overall public-health war.
“Chronic viral hepatitis B and C are among dozens of conditions that are shortchanged by this PR-driven public-health approach from CDC. We can and must do better. How can a vaccine preventable virus, hepatitis B, and the only virus we can cure, hepatitis C, fail to make this list?
“Chronic viral hepatitis afflicts more than 5 million Americans directly and, by extension, tens of millions more of their loved ones. Most Americans are not aware they are infected until they present with serious related illnesses. Without adequate screening and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis often progresses to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.
“Over the past year, experts from the Institute of Medicine, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the Trust for America’s Health have all identified how best to address the viral hepatitis epidemic with common-sense action plans. Regrettably, the Administration is lacking the political will to implement them.
“The CDC’s omission of viral hepatitis from its list of ‘winnable battles’ is not simply an oversight – it’s an abdication of duty to many Americans who may well lose their battle with chronic viral hepatitis in the decades to come.”
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. http://www.nvhr.org/
SOURCE National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
RELATED LINKS
http://www.nvhr.org/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CDC chief picks 6 ‘winnable battles’ in health
ATLANTA — Where would you start if you were charged with keeping the nation healthy? Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has chosen six priorities — winnable battles, he calls them.
They are smoking, AIDS, obesity/nutrition, teen pregnancy, auto injuries and health care infections. These are long-standing, major challenges that get a lot of attention already.
But elevating a handful of problems above dozens of others is a bold move for a public health official. So far, it’s been received like a bucket of cold water — invigorating some, infuriating others.
Many advocates, legislators and others in public health have devoted their lives to problems that did not make Frieden’s short list. So there are complaints.
A CDC employee blog is peppered with postings like, “I guess climate change is not a battle worth winning,” and “Don’t we still owe the patients of tomorrow an investment in things that may not pay off immediately?”
Some advocates wonder aloud just how targeted federal public health dollars are going to be. A particular point of concern is hepatitis C, a long under-recognized liver-destroying virus which has infected more than 3 million Americans. Some experts consider the issue a ticking time bomb and have called for the government to step up efforts to prevent it and better diagnose and treat people who already are infected.
Hepatitis B and C already are “badly neglected” by the CDC, and their omission from Frieden’s winnable battles list is more bad news, said Bruce Burkett, past president of the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council.
“I was very disappointed that it wasn’t on there. This is going to affect millions by not being on there,” he said.
Frieden, who took over CDC in June last year, already had a reputation as something of a public health maverick. When he started his previous job as New York City’s health commissioner in 2002, he began by identifying the city’s most pressing health issues. He led campaigns to ban smoking in the workplace, tax soda, cut salt in processed foods, and ban artificial trans fats in restaurants.
It’s no surprise that he is boldly painting targets at the CDC, said Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, president of the New York Academy of Medicine. She’s a fan of Frieden’s who worked with him as a member of an advisory council to the city health department.
Frieden’s CDC job, ironically, does not provide the same kind of power he had in New York City to engineer bans or tax increases. But Frieden calls his new short list “winnable battles” because, he says, proven programs can save lives and reduce harm from each of these health problems. He believes government can make dramatic improvements if available money and manpower are focused.
“In each of these areas we know what to do to make a difference and we need to do it to a much greater extent,” he said in an interview.
Frieden, with a low-key demeanor, has said relatively little about this to the public, though he seems to be building support within the public health community.
There is some nervousness about how far Frieden’s going to take this.
“I think everyone is going to be cautious in how the focus on winnable battles is balanced against other areas” that are also deemed important but may not be as easy to dent, said Jeff Levi, who heads Trust for America’s Health, a research group.
Top CDC officials have been quick to say they have no intention of walking away from other public health missions. They couldn’t even if they wanted to, because much of the agency’s funding is directed to certain causes by Congress. According to one estimate, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of CDC’s $6.6 billion budget is discretionary money that can be channeled into the winnable battles campaign. Indeed, the agency has been asking for more flexibility.
But there’s power in perception, especially concerning CDC’s grant money to states. Nearly a quarter of that is targeted at the six battle areas, which already were major areas of interest. State health officers say they’re acutely aware of Frieden’s priorities and want him to know it when they apply for CDC money.
“We’re in the position of focusing pretty much on what we can get federal funds for,” said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Humble and several other public health leaders applaud Frieden’s priorities as an overdue attempt to narrow the public health message and better market health improvement to Americans.
“You can’t market if your message is too diffuse,” Humble said. “If we’re all on the same page and working in the same direction, we can get a lot more momentum.”
This isn’t how many public health officials traditionally operate, partly because they tend to worry about alienating employees, legislators and advocates, observed Stanton Glantz, a University of California-San Francisco expert on the health effects of smoking.
Other top federal health officials have not been as specific. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, the government’s chief health educator, has made the broader themes of prevention and wellness her focus.
But Frieden clearly has the blessing of his Obama administration bosses to set clear targets.
“Getting focused, and getting some quick wins under your belt, is terribly important,” said Victor Strecher, a University of Michigan health behavior expert.
Progress in these areas has long been measured by health statistics. What exactly will constitute a win? Frieden hasn’t said yet.
___
Online:
CDC Web page describing winnable battles: http://bit.ly/bCd8Lr
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gI1c0qXFNYNrk_xbZ5U2UW798gDQD9IICK2O0?docId=D9IICK2O0
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — In response to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Thomas Frieden’s release of “six winnable battles” in health care, Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon, released the following statement:
“The CDC’s newly released ‘six winnable battles’ strategy makes a mockery of the broad-based, comprehensive, and integrated public-health strategy that our nation so desperately needs. In seeking to win six narrowly defined health care battles, the CDC may well lose the overall public-health war.
“Chronic viral hepatitis B and C are among dozens of conditions that are shortchanged by this PR-driven public-health approach from CDC. We can and must do better. How can a vaccine preventable virus, hepatitis B, and the only virus we can cure, hepatitis C, fail to make this list?
“Chronic viral hepatitis afflicts more than 5 million Americans directly and, by extension, tens of millions more of their loved ones. Most Americans are not aware they are infected until they present with serious related illnesses. Without adequate screening and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis often progresses to cirrhosis, liver cancer, and liver failure.
“Over the past year, experts from the Institute of Medicine, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, and the Trust for America’s Health have all identified how best to address the viral hepatitis epidemic with common-sense action plans. Regrettably, the Administration is lacking the political will to implement them.
“The CDC’s omission of viral hepatitis from its list of ‘winnable battles’ is not simply an oversight – it’s an abdication of duty to many Americans who may well lose their battle with chronic viral hepatitis in the decades to come.”
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. http://www.nvhr.org/
SOURCE National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
RELATED LINKS
http://www.nvhr.org/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CDC chief picks 6 ‘winnable battles’ in health
ATLANTA — Where would you start if you were charged with keeping the nation healthy? Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has chosen six priorities — winnable battles, he calls them.
They are smoking, AIDS, obesity/nutrition, teen pregnancy, auto injuries and health care infections. These are long-standing, major challenges that get a lot of attention already.
But elevating a handful of problems above dozens of others is a bold move for a public health official. So far, it’s been received like a bucket of cold water — invigorating some, infuriating others.
Many advocates, legislators and others in public health have devoted their lives to problems that did not make Frieden’s short list. So there are complaints.
A CDC employee blog is peppered with postings like, “I guess climate change is not a battle worth winning,” and “Don’t we still owe the patients of tomorrow an investment in things that may not pay off immediately?”
Some advocates wonder aloud just how targeted federal public health dollars are going to be. A particular point of concern is hepatitis C, a long under-recognized liver-destroying virus which has infected more than 3 million Americans. Some experts consider the issue a ticking time bomb and have called for the government to step up efforts to prevent it and better diagnose and treat people who already are infected.
Hepatitis B and C already are “badly neglected” by the CDC, and their omission from Frieden’s winnable battles list is more bad news, said Bruce Burkett, past president of the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council.
“I was very disappointed that it wasn’t on there. This is going to affect millions by not being on there,” he said.
Frieden, who took over CDC in June last year, already had a reputation as something of a public health maverick. When he started his previous job as New York City’s health commissioner in 2002, he began by identifying the city’s most pressing health issues. He led campaigns to ban smoking in the workplace, tax soda, cut salt in processed foods, and ban artificial trans fats in restaurants.
It’s no surprise that he is boldly painting targets at the CDC, said Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford, president of the New York Academy of Medicine. She’s a fan of Frieden’s who worked with him as a member of an advisory council to the city health department.
Frieden’s CDC job, ironically, does not provide the same kind of power he had in New York City to engineer bans or tax increases. But Frieden calls his new short list “winnable battles” because, he says, proven programs can save lives and reduce harm from each of these health problems. He believes government can make dramatic improvements if available money and manpower are focused.
“In each of these areas we know what to do to make a difference and we need to do it to a much greater extent,” he said in an interview.
Frieden, with a low-key demeanor, has said relatively little about this to the public, though he seems to be building support within the public health community.
There is some nervousness about how far Frieden’s going to take this.
“I think everyone is going to be cautious in how the focus on winnable battles is balanced against other areas” that are also deemed important but may not be as easy to dent, said Jeff Levi, who heads Trust for America’s Health, a research group.
Top CDC officials have been quick to say they have no intention of walking away from other public health missions. They couldn’t even if they wanted to, because much of the agency’s funding is directed to certain causes by Congress. According to one estimate, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of CDC’s $6.6 billion budget is discretionary money that can be channeled into the winnable battles campaign. Indeed, the agency has been asking for more flexibility.
But there’s power in perception, especially concerning CDC’s grant money to states. Nearly a quarter of that is targeted at the six battle areas, which already were major areas of interest. State health officers say they’re acutely aware of Frieden’s priorities and want him to know it when they apply for CDC money.
“We’re in the position of focusing pretty much on what we can get federal funds for,” said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Humble and several other public health leaders applaud Frieden’s priorities as an overdue attempt to narrow the public health message and better market health improvement to Americans.
“You can’t market if your message is too diffuse,” Humble said. “If we’re all on the same page and working in the same direction, we can get a lot more momentum.”
This isn’t how many public health officials traditionally operate, partly because they tend to worry about alienating employees, legislators and advocates, observed Stanton Glantz, a University of California-San Francisco expert on the health effects of smoking.
Other top federal health officials have not been as specific. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, the government’s chief health educator, has made the broader themes of prevention and wellness her focus.
But Frieden clearly has the blessing of his Obama administration bosses to set clear targets.
“Getting focused, and getting some quick wins under your belt, is terribly important,” said Victor Strecher, a University of Michigan health behavior expert.
Progress in these areas has long been measured by health statistics. What exactly will constitute a win? Frieden hasn’t said yet.
___
Online:
CDC Web page describing winnable battles: http://bit.ly/bCd8Lr
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gI1c0qXFNYNrk_xbZ5U2UW798gDQD9IICK2O0?docId=D9IICK2O0
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
NVHR Welcomes Support of National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council In Fight to Address Chronic Viral Hepatitis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Phil Blando, 202-534-1772
September 24, 2010 pblando@abmpartnersllc.com
NVHR Welcomes Support of National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council
In Fight to Address Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Washington, DC—The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) is pleased to welcome the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council -- the nation’s first community-based hepatitis C advocacy coalition -- to its ranks and looks forward to building on the Council’s hard-fought successes in the public policy arena, NVHR announced today. Given the depth and breadth of NVHR’s reach, the Council will now unite with NVHR and allow the community to speak with one voice.
“NVHR is pleased to have the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council join our ranks,” said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon and the Founder of the Council. “Over the past decade, the Council has done extraordinary work to educate policymakers and the general public about hepatitis C and has laid the foundation for important public policy successes in recent years. We look forward to using the Council’s passion and commitment through NVHR to advance a public health agenda that addresses the viral hepatitis crisis once and for all.”
“For the past decade, the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council has been steadfast in its efforts to promote a national, comprehensive strategy for addressing hepatitis C. We have been on the front lines in Washington and state capitals and are proud of our results in putting hepatitis C on the political radar screen,” said Michael Carden, National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council President, who is with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, based in Brooklyn, NY. “Now is the time for the community to speak with one voice for the entire spectrum of viral hepatitis.”
The National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council was founded in 2000 and is the nation’s first hepatitis C coalition. Comprised of 27 community-based organizations operating from coast to coast, the Council enabled the hepatitis C community to have a voice on Capitol Hill and urged policymakers to pursue a comprehensive public-health strategy for detecting, treating, and preventing viral hepatitis.
Over the past decade, the Council scored some very notable successes on Capitol Hill. In 2003, at its urging, the first-ever hepatitis C legislation was introduced by the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and former Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY). The following year, the Government Oversight Committee, chaired by former Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.), held a congressional hearing to examine policy issues associated with hepatitis C. This work laid an important foundation for introducing a more comprehensive viral hepatitis bill and securing bipartisan legislation in this Congress, sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) that has a total of 73 bipartisan supporters.and Senate legislation sponsored by Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.)
An estimated 5.3 million Americans have been infected with chronic viral hepatitis B or C – and with most unaware of their infection, millions are at risk of developing life-threatening complications, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and prompt treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure.
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. www.nvhr.org
###
www.nvhr.org
Contact: Phil Blando, 202-534-1772
September 24, 2010 pblando@abmpartnersllc.com
NVHR Welcomes Support of National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council
In Fight to Address Chronic Viral Hepatitis
Washington, DC—The National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) is pleased to welcome the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council -- the nation’s first community-based hepatitis C advocacy coalition -- to its ranks and looks forward to building on the Council’s hard-fought successes in the public policy arena, NVHR announced today. Given the depth and breadth of NVHR’s reach, the Council will now unite with NVHR and allow the community to speak with one voice.
“NVHR is pleased to have the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council join our ranks,” said Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, Oregon and the Founder of the Council. “Over the past decade, the Council has done extraordinary work to educate policymakers and the general public about hepatitis C and has laid the foundation for important public policy successes in recent years. We look forward to using the Council’s passion and commitment through NVHR to advance a public health agenda that addresses the viral hepatitis crisis once and for all.”
“For the past decade, the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council has been steadfast in its efforts to promote a national, comprehensive strategy for addressing hepatitis C. We have been on the front lines in Washington and state capitals and are proud of our results in putting hepatitis C on the political radar screen,” said Michael Carden, National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council President, who is with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, based in Brooklyn, NY. “Now is the time for the community to speak with one voice for the entire spectrum of viral hepatitis.”
The National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council was founded in 2000 and is the nation’s first hepatitis C coalition. Comprised of 27 community-based organizations operating from coast to coast, the Council enabled the hepatitis C community to have a voice on Capitol Hill and urged policymakers to pursue a comprehensive public-health strategy for detecting, treating, and preventing viral hepatitis.
Over the past decade, the Council scored some very notable successes on Capitol Hill. In 2003, at its urging, the first-ever hepatitis C legislation was introduced by the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and former Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY). The following year, the Government Oversight Committee, chaired by former Representative Tom Davis (R-Va.), held a congressional hearing to examine policy issues associated with hepatitis C. This work laid an important foundation for introducing a more comprehensive viral hepatitis bill and securing bipartisan legislation in this Congress, sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charlie Dent (R-Pa.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) that has a total of 73 bipartisan supporters.and Senate legislation sponsored by Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.)
An estimated 5.3 million Americans have been infected with chronic viral hepatitis B or C – and with most unaware of their infection, millions are at risk of developing life-threatening complications, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and prompt treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure.
NVHR is a coalition of more than 170 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. www.nvhr.org
###
www.nvhr.org
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Kerry Introduces Bill to Fight Viral Hepatitis
Kerry Introduces Bill to Fight Viral Hepatitis
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 5, 2010
CONTACT: DC Press Office, (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), today introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010, which calls for a national strategy to prevent and control Hepatitis B and C. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) is the legislation’s lead sponsor in the House of Representatives. The bill has been endorsed by over 100 hepatitis focused organizations from across the nation.
“Viral hepatitis is a silent killer,” Senator Kerry said. “Most people don’t even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I’m introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction’s often deadly consequences.”
Viral Hepatitis contributes to the death of 15,000 Americans a year and threatens the health of 5.3 million more. It is more common than HIV/AIDS and is the leading cause of liver cancer. Most people don’t know they have hepatitis until it causes cancer or liver disease years after infection. This is largely because there is currently no federal funding of core public health services for viral hepatitis. Nor is there any federally funded chronic Hepatitis B and C surveillance system.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act aims to correct this by authorizing nearly $600 million over the next five years to fund a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national plan for the prevention, control and medical management of viral hepatitis in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The legislation requires the development of a national plan that must include the following components:
education and awareness programs;
an expansion of current vaccination programs;
counseling regarding the ongoing risk factors associated with viral hepatitis;
support for medical evaluation and ongoing medical management;
increased support for adult viral hepatitis coordinators; and
the establishment of an epidemiological surveillance program to identify trends in incidence and prevalence in the disease.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010 also enhances SAMHSA’s role in hepatitis activities by providing the agency with the authority to develop educational materials and intervention strategies to reduce the risks of hepatitis among substance abusers and individuals with mental illness.
http://kerry.senate.gov:80/press/release/?id=77720c93-e5db-46a3-b02f-9bfe1814b4c7
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 5, 2010
CONTACT: DC Press Office, (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159 (202) 224-4159
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), today introduced the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010, which calls for a national strategy to prevent and control Hepatitis B and C. Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA) is the legislation’s lead sponsor in the House of Representatives. The bill has been endorsed by over 100 hepatitis focused organizations from across the nation.
“Viral hepatitis is a silent killer,” Senator Kerry said. “Most people don’t even know they have hepatitis until it causes liver damage or even cancer years after the initial infection. We can easily avoid these needless tragedies with prevention, surveillance programs, and by educating Americans about this deadly disease. The bill I’m introducing today will help create a national strategy to combat and prevent hepatitis, hopefully ending this silent affliction’s often deadly consequences.”
Viral Hepatitis contributes to the death of 15,000 Americans a year and threatens the health of 5.3 million more. It is more common than HIV/AIDS and is the leading cause of liver cancer. Most people don’t know they have hepatitis until it causes cancer or liver disease years after infection. This is largely because there is currently no federal funding of core public health services for viral hepatitis. Nor is there any federally funded chronic Hepatitis B and C surveillance system.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act aims to correct this by authorizing nearly $600 million over the next five years to fund a national strategy to prevent and control viral hepatitis. It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national plan for the prevention, control and medical management of viral hepatitis in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The legislation requires the development of a national plan that must include the following components:
education and awareness programs;
an expansion of current vaccination programs;
counseling regarding the ongoing risk factors associated with viral hepatitis;
support for medical evaluation and ongoing medical management;
increased support for adult viral hepatitis coordinators; and
the establishment of an epidemiological surveillance program to identify trends in incidence and prevalence in the disease.
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2010 also enhances SAMHSA’s role in hepatitis activities by providing the agency with the authority to develop educational materials and intervention strategies to reduce the risks of hepatitis among substance abusers and individuals with mental illness.
http://kerry.senate.gov:80/press/release/?id=77720c93-e5db-46a3-b02f-9bfe1814b4c7
Friday, July 30, 2010
Webinar: Hepatitis Advocacy in August
Learn about the important work that you can do in your own backyard
during the August recess to increase awareness of viral hepatitis among
your elected officials.
Agenda:
1:00 - 1:05: Welcome
1:05 - 1:15: Appropriations update
1:15 - 1:20: Legislation update
1:20 - 1:25: Q & A
1:25 - 1:35: August recess advocacy/Action Alert
1:35 - 1:45: Advocacy success stories
1:45 - 2:00: Questions, discussion, close
Webinar Details:
Title: Advocacy in August
Date: August 5, 2010
Time: 10AM Pacific Time / 1PM Eastern Time
Join this webinar:
Join Link: https://caringambassadors.ilinc.com/join/jchwrbj
Primary Dial-In: 1-800-201-2375
Alternate Dial-In: 1-469-759-7753
Passcode: 327238
Want to prepare your system ahead of time?
https://caringambassadors.ilinc.com/register/jchwrbj
during the August recess to increase awareness of viral hepatitis among
your elected officials.
Agenda:
1:00 - 1:05: Welcome
1:05 - 1:15: Appropriations update
1:15 - 1:20: Legislation update
1:20 - 1:25: Q & A
1:25 - 1:35: August recess advocacy/Action Alert
1:35 - 1:45: Advocacy success stories
1:45 - 2:00: Questions, discussion, close
Webinar Details:
Title: Advocacy in August
Date: August 5, 2010
Time: 10AM Pacific Time / 1PM Eastern Time
Join this webinar:
Join Link: https://caringambassadors.ilinc.com/join/jchwrbj
Primary Dial-In: 1-800-201-2375
Alternate Dial-In: 1-469-759-7753
Passcode: 327238
Want to prepare your system ahead of time?
https://caringambassadors.ilinc.com/register/jchwrbj
Thursday, June 24, 2010
World Hepatitis Day in Washington DC on May 19, 2010
This is a great video with highlights from last month’s World Hepatitis Day rally at the U.S. Capitol, courtesy of Satoko Sugiyama and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable. It is worth the 9 minutes of viewing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1FOTJTWSkw
The World Hepatitis Alliance has started a You Tube and a Flickr page. You can access them and see World Hepatitis Day pictures from around the WORLD!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50506646@N04/
http://www.youtube.com/user/worldhepday
Our Youngest Dragon Slayer Extraordinaire, Elijah, Speaks at WHD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbyMR8X_PNU
Lorren Sandt speaking at WHD Rally in DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On_3JhaYeuo
Shari Foster speaking at WHD Rally in DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHhopSxnoTY
Jane Pan ends speech with Will You Stand With Me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1A7iUD8WSU
PeachStatePam's *Locks of Love* hair experience and Hepatitis C awareness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHYyPaWOmtI
World Hepatitis Day in Washington DC on 5-19-2010 pictures at Kodak
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=228953846803%3A235454742&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1FOTJTWSkw
The World Hepatitis Alliance has started a You Tube and a Flickr page. You can access them and see World Hepatitis Day pictures from around the WORLD!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50506646@N04/
http://www.youtube.com/user/worldhepday
Our Youngest Dragon Slayer Extraordinaire, Elijah, Speaks at WHD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbyMR8X_PNU
Lorren Sandt speaking at WHD Rally in DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On_3JhaYeuo
Shari Foster speaking at WHD Rally in DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHhopSxnoTY
Jane Pan ends speech with Will You Stand With Me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1A7iUD8WSU
PeachStatePam's *Locks of Love* hair experience and Hepatitis C awareness
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHYyPaWOmtI
World Hepatitis Day in Washington DC on 5-19-2010 pictures at Kodak
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=228953846803%3A235454742&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharer
Friday, June 4, 2010
Advocates Rally in San Francisco and Washington to Raise Awareness and Demand Funding for Hepatitis B an C
Advocates Rally in San Francisco and Washington to Raise Awareness and Demand Funding for Hepatitis B an C
By Liz Highleyman
SUMMARY: Hepatitis advocates gathered in San Francisco and Washington, DC, on May 19 -- World Hepatitis Day -- to bring attention to chronic hepatitis B and C and to call for increased funding for public education, testing, treatment, and care. Speakers described their experiences with stigma, difficulty accessing treatment, and side effects and suboptimal effectiveness of current hepatitis C therapies, while expressing hope for new directing-acting HCV drugs that are expected to start becoming available in the next couple years.
"We're here to give a voice and a face to a disease that remains in the shadows," said Randy Allgaier, co-chair of the [San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force[http://www.hepcsf.org], speaking from the steps of City Hall. "San Francisco must move out of the shadows of this silent epidemic, because as we learned with HIV, silence equals death."
The local rally brought out about 50 activists under an unseasonable light rain.
Nick Panagopoulos from the office of Mayor Gavin Newsom -- who spearheaded the creation of the task force -- and Alex Randolph, aide to Supervisor Bevan Dufty, both presented proclamations recognizing World Hepatitis Day.
While the rally focused on hepatitis C, Allgaier applauded the new Hep B Free campaign which aims to raise awareness among the city's large Asian community, a group at especially high risk for hepatitis B.
Task force co-chair Dominique Leslie related her journey with hepatitis C, reflecting issues faced by many people with the disease. Leslie was diagnosed with non-A/non-B hepatitis in 1988, the year before the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was discovered. At the time, she was told not to worry and that she didn't need to do anything. By 2000, she began to develop symptoms of liver disease, but was told they were not due to HCV. Since then, she said she has been denied treatment twice because she is transgender, and she is now on the liver transplant waiting list.
"I joined the task force so other people don't have to go through what I face," she said. "I've been clean and sober for more than 20 years, but active drug users are being denied treatment and access to clinical trials."
Other speakers represented the diverse face of hepatitis C. Todd is an HIV positive former methamphetamine user who never used needles and believes he got HCV through sex. Today he is clean and sober, and both his HIV and HCV are undetectable, but "it was no picnic getting there," he said.
Robin, an older woman who was diagnosed with hepatitis C years ago, has been free of the virus for 8 years with the help of holistic therapy including acupuncture. "HCV is the first virus for which we have a cure, but unfortunately the treatments are very difficult and they don't work for everyone," she said.
Jack and Havoc are 2 young men involved with UCSF's UFO Project for young injection drug users. Jack started interferon, but lasted only 3 months due to side effects; against all odds, however, he managed to clear HCV anyway. But Havoc, a member of San Francisco's new Drug Users Union, lacks permanent housing, has not been able to get on interferon treatment, and his liver disease is progressing.
Finally, Karen Aziz compared her experiences as a woman dually diagnosed with hepatitis C and breast cancer. When she learned she had breast cancer, she recalled, she was told about all the available treatment options and referred to a support group.
"Companies sponsor walks for research, you see uplifting commercials, patients are lauded as heroes, and everyone shows compassion," she said. "It's quite the opposite for hepatitis C. "No company wants to sponsor a race for the cure for this disease. Our struggles are secret, silent, and lonely. We need funding for full medical care for everyone who needs it so a diagnosis of hepatitis C need not be a death sentence."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below is a press release from the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable about the Washington rally.
On World Hepatitis Day 2010, NVHR Capitol Hill Rally Attracts
Hundreds of Americans & Five Members of Congress to
Support Increased Federal Funding for Viral Hepatitis
Washington, DC -- May 19 -- Surrounded by a diverse group of 500 Americans from the viral hepatitis B and C communities united in common purpose on World Hepatitis Day 2010, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) today hosted a Capitol Hill rally urging swift action to fix the federal funding crisis for 5 million Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis. With the support of a boisterous crowd, NVHR was joined by five Members of Congress, Congressmen Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-La.), and Mike Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), whom all pledged to make the promise of increased federal funding a reality this year and to address the viral hepatitis funding problem once and for all.
"NVHR has a simple and direct message for Washington: we are not going away and we will no longer be ignored. Until Congress and the Administration act once and for all to fix the funding crisis, we will be unrelenting in demanding adequate federal funding for viral hepatitis screening, education, and intervention programs for 5 million Americans," vowed Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "In the absence of federal leadership, the annual costs of viral hepatitis to Medicare and Medicaid could reach $85 billion in the coming decade. Swift federal action now will help millions of Americans and help mitigate an otherwise inevitable fiscal disaster. The time for action is now. Our community and our nation cannot afford any more delays."
Today's rally featured 500 Americans from all walks of life united in their cause to urge Washington to act. Representing 11 states and the District of Columbia, the rally featured speakers representing NVHR, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, the District of Columbia Department of Health, Veterans Aimed towards Awareness, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Community AIDS National Network, Hepatitis B Foundation, Greater Washington Viral Hepatitis Support Group, Harm Reduction Coalition, North General Hospital, Hepatitis Education Program, Chinese American Medical Society, Hepatitis B Initiative-DC, National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project, Hepatitis C Support Project, Hepatitis C Association, and many others. The rally also featured a Silent Vigil in tribute to those individuals lost to hepatitis B or C.
Approximately 1 in 50 Americans are afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis B or C -- with most unaware they are infected, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure. In the absence of federal leadership, the research firm Milliman estimates that public and private payers' cost of treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion annually. Medicare and Medicaid would absorb a disproportionate share of these added costs.
Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a landmark report blasting the federal government for its inadequate response to this crisis. Since the January 2010 release of the IOM report, the Administration has done little to help assuage the viral hepatitis community. The Administration's budget proposal for 2011 would fund the Division of Viral Hepatitis at a level actually lower than allocated a decade ago during the Clinton Administration.
Bipartisan legislation, HR 3974, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.) and 36 other House Members would correct this shortfall. The Honda-Dent legislation would increase the ability of the CDC to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance, and referral to care efforts. Much of the Honda-Dent legislation tracks with the IoM's recommendations.
NVHR is a coalition of more than 150 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. For more information, visit www.nvhr.org.
5/21/10
Source
National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable. On World Hepatitis Day 2010, NVHR Capitol Hill Rally Attracts Hundreds of Americans & Five Members of Congress To Support Increased Federal Funding for Viral Hepatitis. Press release. May 19, 2010.
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2010/0521_2010_a.html
By Liz Highleyman
SUMMARY: Hepatitis advocates gathered in San Francisco and Washington, DC, on May 19 -- World Hepatitis Day -- to bring attention to chronic hepatitis B and C and to call for increased funding for public education, testing, treatment, and care. Speakers described their experiences with stigma, difficulty accessing treatment, and side effects and suboptimal effectiveness of current hepatitis C therapies, while expressing hope for new directing-acting HCV drugs that are expected to start becoming available in the next couple years.
"We're here to give a voice and a face to a disease that remains in the shadows," said Randy Allgaier, co-chair of the [San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force[http://www.hepcsf.org], speaking from the steps of City Hall. "San Francisco must move out of the shadows of this silent epidemic, because as we learned with HIV, silence equals death."
The local rally brought out about 50 activists under an unseasonable light rain.
Nick Panagopoulos from the office of Mayor Gavin Newsom -- who spearheaded the creation of the task force -- and Alex Randolph, aide to Supervisor Bevan Dufty, both presented proclamations recognizing World Hepatitis Day.
While the rally focused on hepatitis C, Allgaier applauded the new Hep B Free campaign which aims to raise awareness among the city's large Asian community, a group at especially high risk for hepatitis B.
Task force co-chair Dominique Leslie related her journey with hepatitis C, reflecting issues faced by many people with the disease. Leslie was diagnosed with non-A/non-B hepatitis in 1988, the year before the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was discovered. At the time, she was told not to worry and that she didn't need to do anything. By 2000, she began to develop symptoms of liver disease, but was told they were not due to HCV. Since then, she said she has been denied treatment twice because she is transgender, and she is now on the liver transplant waiting list.
"I joined the task force so other people don't have to go through what I face," she said. "I've been clean and sober for more than 20 years, but active drug users are being denied treatment and access to clinical trials."
Other speakers represented the diverse face of hepatitis C. Todd is an HIV positive former methamphetamine user who never used needles and believes he got HCV through sex. Today he is clean and sober, and both his HIV and HCV are undetectable, but "it was no picnic getting there," he said.
Robin, an older woman who was diagnosed with hepatitis C years ago, has been free of the virus for 8 years with the help of holistic therapy including acupuncture. "HCV is the first virus for which we have a cure, but unfortunately the treatments are very difficult and they don't work for everyone," she said.
Jack and Havoc are 2 young men involved with UCSF's UFO Project for young injection drug users. Jack started interferon, but lasted only 3 months due to side effects; against all odds, however, he managed to clear HCV anyway. But Havoc, a member of San Francisco's new Drug Users Union, lacks permanent housing, has not been able to get on interferon treatment, and his liver disease is progressing.
Finally, Karen Aziz compared her experiences as a woman dually diagnosed with hepatitis C and breast cancer. When she learned she had breast cancer, she recalled, she was told about all the available treatment options and referred to a support group.
"Companies sponsor walks for research, you see uplifting commercials, patients are lauded as heroes, and everyone shows compassion," she said. "It's quite the opposite for hepatitis C. "No company wants to sponsor a race for the cure for this disease. Our struggles are secret, silent, and lonely. We need funding for full medical care for everyone who needs it so a diagnosis of hepatitis C need not be a death sentence."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below is a press release from the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable about the Washington rally.
On World Hepatitis Day 2010, NVHR Capitol Hill Rally Attracts
Hundreds of Americans & Five Members of Congress to
Support Increased Federal Funding for Viral Hepatitis
Washington, DC -- May 19 -- Surrounded by a diverse group of 500 Americans from the viral hepatitis B and C communities united in common purpose on World Hepatitis Day 2010, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) today hosted a Capitol Hill rally urging swift action to fix the federal funding crisis for 5 million Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis. With the support of a boisterous crowd, NVHR was joined by five Members of Congress, Congressmen Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-La.), and Mike Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), whom all pledged to make the promise of increased federal funding a reality this year and to address the viral hepatitis funding problem once and for all.
"NVHR has a simple and direct message for Washington: we are not going away and we will no longer be ignored. Until Congress and the Administration act once and for all to fix the funding crisis, we will be unrelenting in demanding adequate federal funding for viral hepatitis screening, education, and intervention programs for 5 million Americans," vowed Ms. Lorren Sandt, NVHR Chair and Executive Director of Caring Ambassadors Program, based in Portland, OR. "In the absence of federal leadership, the annual costs of viral hepatitis to Medicare and Medicaid could reach $85 billion in the coming decade. Swift federal action now will help millions of Americans and help mitigate an otherwise inevitable fiscal disaster. The time for action is now. Our community and our nation cannot afford any more delays."
Today's rally featured 500 Americans from all walks of life united in their cause to urge Washington to act. Representing 11 states and the District of Columbia, the rally featured speakers representing NVHR, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, the District of Columbia Department of Health, Veterans Aimed towards Awareness, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Community AIDS National Network, Hepatitis B Foundation, Greater Washington Viral Hepatitis Support Group, Harm Reduction Coalition, North General Hospital, Hepatitis Education Program, Chinese American Medical Society, Hepatitis B Initiative-DC, National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project, Hepatitis C Support Project, Hepatitis C Association, and many others. The rally also featured a Silent Vigil in tribute to those individuals lost to hepatitis B or C.
Approximately 1 in 50 Americans are afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis B or C -- with most unaware they are infected, especially African Americans and Asian Americans. Without detection and treatment, chronic viral hepatitis leads to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure. In the absence of federal leadership, the research firm Milliman estimates that public and private payers' cost of treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion annually. Medicare and Medicaid would absorb a disproportionate share of these added costs.
Earlier this year, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a landmark report blasting the federal government for its inadequate response to this crisis. Since the January 2010 release of the IOM report, the Administration has done little to help assuage the viral hepatitis community. The Administration's budget proposal for 2011 would fund the Division of Viral Hepatitis at a level actually lower than allocated a decade ago during the Clinton Administration.
Bipartisan legislation, HR 3974, "The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act," sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.) and 36 other House Members would correct this shortfall. The Honda-Dent legislation would increase the ability of the CDC to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance, and referral to care efforts. Much of the Honda-Dent legislation tracks with the IoM's recommendations.
NVHR is a coalition of more than 150 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans. For more information, visit www.nvhr.org.
5/21/10
Source
National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable. On World Hepatitis Day 2010, NVHR Capitol Hill Rally Attracts Hundreds of Americans & Five Members of Congress To Support Increased Federal Funding for Viral Hepatitis. Press release. May 19, 2010.
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2010/0521_2010_a.html
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Pictures needed for rally for hepatitis in DC on May 19!
Please pass this message forward..................
We need your help! We need pictures of loved ones we have lost due to hepatitis. We need at least 200!
Please send photo, name, birth year and death year (or as much info as you know)
Lorren Sandt
Lorren@HepCChallenge.org
Executive Director
Caring Ambassadors Program, Inc.
PO Box 1748
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-632-9032 Direct Line: 503-632-9030
FAX: 503-632-9038
Save the Date: High Noon, May 19, 2010: Rally for Hepatitis on Capitol Hill!
To learn more and to register to attend, endorse or support, visit www.nvhr.org or search This is Hepatitis on Facebook
We need your help! We need pictures of loved ones we have lost due to hepatitis. We need at least 200!
Please send photo, name, birth year and death year (or as much info as you know)
Lorren Sandt
Lorren@HepCChallenge.org
Executive Director
Caring Ambassadors Program, Inc.
PO Box 1748
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-632-9032 Direct Line: 503-632-9030
FAX: 503-632-9038
Save the Date: High Noon, May 19, 2010: Rally for Hepatitis on Capitol Hill!
To learn more and to register to attend, endorse or support, visit www.nvhr.org or search This is Hepatitis on Facebook
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
"This Is Hepatitis: A Rally in Washington, D.C."
“This Is Hepatitis: A Rally in Washington, D.C.” on Wednesday, May 19 at 12:00pm.
Event: This Is Hepatitis: A Rally in Washington, D.C.
What: Rally
Start Time: Wednesday, May 19 at 12:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, May 19 at 3:00pm
Where: United States Capitol
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=395491556473&mid=20c35e0G2852fb8cG4473b1bG7&n_m=figment%40nettally.com
Event: This Is Hepatitis: A Rally in Washington, D.C.
What: Rally
Start Time: Wednesday, May 19 at 12:00pm
End Time: Wednesday, May 19 at 3:00pm
Where: United States Capitol
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=395491556473&mid=20c35e0G2852fb8cG4473b1bG7&n_m=figment%40nettally.com
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)
A Call to Action! Do it TODAY!
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)
Contact your Representative!
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention and Control Act of 2009 was introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Honda, (D-CA) and Charles Dent (R-PA) with original cosponsors Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), David Wu (D-OR), Todd Platts (R-PA), Donna M. Christiansen (D-VI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), George Butterfield (D-NC), and Judy Chu (D-CA).
We need your Representative to join as cosponsor and show their support for addressing the viral hepatitis epidemic!
In order to pass this historic legislation, we need you to take a few minutes to make an important phone call or send an email! This bill affects people at risk for and chronically infected with hepatitis B and C by expanding education for patients and health care providers, increasing access to hepatitis testing and liver cancer screening, improving the capacity of health departments to detect outbreaks, and supporting viral hepatitis prevention and education programs across the U.S..
Make a Phone Call! Send an Email!
Call or email your U.S. House Representative’s office in Washington, DC. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles health care issues. You might get their voicemail or you might reach this person directly. Even if you reach voice mail, leave your message.
Sample call/email script:
“My name is ____________ , I live in (city, state), and I care about viral hepatitis. Hepatitis is a serious health problem in the U.S., in my District, and is a very important issue to me. I urge Representative _____________ to show leadership in the fight against hepatitis and liver cancer by cosponsoring Representative Honda and Dent’s Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act, HR 3974. Thank you.”
If there is time, tell them why this issue is important to you. You will probably only have time for 2-3 sentences. Members of Congress and their staff pay attention to their constituents. They need to hear how viral hepatitis affects you, the people you care for, your friends, family, and co-workers. Our lawmakers are unaware of viral hepatitis and how it impacts people in their Districts so they really need to hear from you!
You can reach your Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 or email Representatives directly from http:/writerep.house.gov. If you don’t know who your Representative is, go to www.congress.org http://www.congress.org and enter your zip code in the upper right corner. If your representative is already a sponsor, thank him for his sponsorship and offer to provide your experience/expertise in this issue as needed. Use your social and professional networks to get more people like you to call their representatives! Forward this email widely!
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral program for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C virus infection, to include the following:
· EDUCATION AND TRAINING
· HEPATITIS B and C DISEASE CONTROL
· IMMUNIZATION
· STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADULT VIRAL HEPATITIS COORDINATORS
· MEDICAL REFERRAL
· SURVEILLANCE
· EXPANDED ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED AND
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED POPULATIONS
· RESEARCH
· INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C
Released:
January 11, 2010
Type:
Consensus Report
Topic(s):
Diseases, Public Health
Activity:
Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis Infections in the United States
Board(s):
Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Up to 5.3 million people—2 percent of the U.S. population—are living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. These diseases are more common than HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Yet, because hepatitis B and hepatitis C often present no symptoms, most people who have them are unaware until they develop liver cancer or liver disease many years later.
A new IOM study finds that these diseases are not widely recognized as serious public health problems, and as a result, that viral hepatitis prevention, control, and surveillance programs have inadequate resources. The report concludes that the current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working. As a remedy, the IOM recommends increased knowledge and awareness about chronic viral hepatitis among health care providers, social service providers, and the public; improved surveillance for hepatitis B and hepatitis C; and better integration of viral hepatitis services.
Report at a Glance
Press Release (HTML)
Report Brief (PDF, HTML)
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C.aspx
http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C/Hepatitis%20and%20Liver%20Cancer%202010%20%20Report%20Brief.ashx
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)
Contact your Representative!
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention and Control Act of 2009 was introduced by U.S. Representatives Mike Honda, (D-CA) and Charles Dent (R-PA) with original cosponsors Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Anh “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), David Wu (D-OR), Todd Platts (R-PA), Donna M. Christiansen (D-VI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), George Butterfield (D-NC), and Judy Chu (D-CA).
We need your Representative to join as cosponsor and show their support for addressing the viral hepatitis epidemic!
In order to pass this historic legislation, we need you to take a few minutes to make an important phone call or send an email! This bill affects people at risk for and chronically infected with hepatitis B and C by expanding education for patients and health care providers, increasing access to hepatitis testing and liver cancer screening, improving the capacity of health departments to detect outbreaks, and supporting viral hepatitis prevention and education programs across the U.S..
Make a Phone Call! Send an Email!
Call or email your U.S. House Representative’s office in Washington, DC. Ask to speak to the staff person who handles health care issues. You might get their voicemail or you might reach this person directly. Even if you reach voice mail, leave your message.
Sample call/email script:
“My name is ____________ , I live in (city, state), and I care about viral hepatitis. Hepatitis is a serious health problem in the U.S., in my District, and is a very important issue to me. I urge Representative _____________ to show leadership in the fight against hepatitis and liver cancer by cosponsoring Representative Honda and Dent’s Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act, HR 3974. Thank you.”
If there is time, tell them why this issue is important to you. You will probably only have time for 2-3 sentences. Members of Congress and their staff pay attention to their constituents. They need to hear how viral hepatitis affects you, the people you care for, your friends, family, and co-workers. Our lawmakers are unaware of viral hepatitis and how it impacts people in their Districts so they really need to hear from you!
You can reach your Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 or email Representatives directly from http:/writerep.house.gov. If you don’t know who your Representative is, go to www.congress.org http://www.congress.org and enter your zip code in the upper right corner. If your representative is already a sponsor, thank him for his sponsorship and offer to provide your experience/expertise in this issue as needed. Use your social and professional networks to get more people like you to call their representatives! Forward this email widely!
Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act of 2009 (HR 3974)
The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control Act would amend the Public Health Service Act to establish, promote, and support a comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral program for chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C virus infection, to include the following:
· EDUCATION AND TRAINING
· HEPATITIS B and C DISEASE CONTROL
· IMMUNIZATION
· STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADULT VIRAL HEPATITIS COORDINATORS
· MEDICAL REFERRAL
· SURVEILLANCE
· EXPANDED ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED AND
DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED POPULATIONS
· RESEARCH
· INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hepatitis and Liver Cancer: A National Strategy for Prevention and Control of Hepatitis B and C
Released:
January 11, 2010
Type:
Consensus Report
Topic(s):
Diseases, Public Health
Activity:
Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis Infections in the United States
Board(s):
Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Up to 5.3 million people—2 percent of the U.S. population—are living with chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C. These diseases are more common than HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Yet, because hepatitis B and hepatitis C often present no symptoms, most people who have them are unaware until they develop liver cancer or liver disease many years later.
A new IOM study finds that these diseases are not widely recognized as serious public health problems, and as a result, that viral hepatitis prevention, control, and surveillance programs have inadequate resources. The report concludes that the current approach to the prevention and control of chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C is not working. As a remedy, the IOM recommends increased knowledge and awareness about chronic viral hepatitis among health care providers, social service providers, and the public; improved surveillance for hepatitis B and hepatitis C; and better integration of viral hepatitis services.
Report at a Glance
Press Release (HTML)
Report Brief (PDF, HTML)
http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C.aspx
http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Hepatitis-and-Liver-Cancer-A-National-Strategy-for-Prevention-and-Control-of-Hepatitis-B-and-C/Hepatitis%20and%20Liver%20Cancer%202010%20%20Report%20Brief.ashx
This Is Hepatitis: A March on Washington, D.C. on World Hepatitis Day!
This Is Hepatitis: A March on Washington, D.C.
May 19, 2010 - Noon
United States Capitol
Washington, DC
http://www.nvhr.org/
Register to attend, support or endorse this event:
http://www.surveymk.com/s/BM5SWPC
May 19, 2010 - Noon
United States Capitol
Washington, DC
http://www.nvhr.org/
Register to attend, support or endorse this event:
http://www.surveymk.com/s/BM5SWPC
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Get the Word Out About Liver Cancer on World Cancer Day!
Get the Word Out About Liver Cancer on World Cancer Day!
Dear Advocates:
Thursday, February 4th is World Cancer AwarenessDay. What a great opportunity this is to help Dr. Mark Li, President of the Chinese American Medical Society, get the word out about liver cancer! Please read the letter from Dr. Li below and visit his website, http://livercancerfree.org/ to send letters to your representatives asking for their support for the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention Act (HR 3974) and for increased appropriations for viral hepatitis prevention programs at the CDCand NIH!
The Liver Cancer Free Campaign
Together we Can
Are you aware of these FACTS?
· Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world.
· 80% of liver cancers are caused by Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections.
· Hepatitis B Virus is second only to tobacco as a cause of cancer in humans.
· Hepatitis C Virus is the numberone cause of liver cancer in the USA.
· It took $143M to control TB, but only $18M had been given to control Viral Hepatitis
I am a Primary Care Physician in practice for 28 years. In my work, I have experienced firsthand the impact and ravages of hepatitis infection on my patients and their families. I have seen patients die prematurely early of liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis infection, leaving behind young children, mourned by their families and friends. Very often, they were in shock because they were unaware of their disease which did not exhibit any symptoms until it has progressed to a late stage beyond cure. And yet much of that pain and suffering could be avoided because hepatitis infection could be prevented, treated and controlled. Given adequate resources, education, prevention and surveillance programs can be put in place to stamp out hepatitis infection and liver cancer.
Because hepatitis is a silent disease, it is often ignored; its deadliness as a major cause of liver cancer overlooked, and its danger as a public health threat underestimated. As a result, funding for programs to control the spread of hepatitis infection has long been far from adequate. As a practitioner, I am compelled to act to raise awareness, to educate, to screen, to protect and to treat my patients. However, I believe that my personal efforts are insignificant. I am convinced that if we act together, we have more voice; we can be heard. Together we will have more strength. Our concerted efforts will impress our policy makers, and drive home the need for increased public funding for hepatitis programs. Driven by the conviction that "Together We Can", I am reaching out to you and through you to your friends, to write to your congressional representatives to petition for increased funding to CDC and NIH. This will enable the implementation of much needed research, prevention, and surveillance programs to control the spread of the deadly disease of hepatitis infection and to reduce the mortality and morbidity of liver cancers.
Please visit http://livercancerfree.org/ for more information.
Simply put in your name and address with zip code and the program will automatically match it to the corresponding district and send an email to your congressional representatives. While you are on livercancerfree.org, please click on the link to the Harvard Cancer Prevention website and join their over 5 million members to sign an e-petition to Congress.
Kindly forward this email to as many contacts as you can.
Sincerely
Mark Li MD
Coordinator January 28, 2010
Dear Advocates:
Thursday, February 4th is World Cancer AwarenessDay. What a great opportunity this is to help Dr. Mark Li, President of the Chinese American Medical Society, get the word out about liver cancer! Please read the letter from Dr. Li below and visit his website, http://livercancerfree.org/ to send letters to your representatives asking for their support for the Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Prevention Act (HR 3974) and for increased appropriations for viral hepatitis prevention programs at the CDCand NIH!
The Liver Cancer Free Campaign
Together we Can
Are you aware of these FACTS?
· Liver cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the world.
· 80% of liver cancers are caused by Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C infections.
· Hepatitis B Virus is second only to tobacco as a cause of cancer in humans.
· Hepatitis C Virus is the numberone cause of liver cancer in the USA.
· It took $143M to control TB, but only $18M had been given to control Viral Hepatitis
I am a Primary Care Physician in practice for 28 years. In my work, I have experienced firsthand the impact and ravages of hepatitis infection on my patients and their families. I have seen patients die prematurely early of liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis infection, leaving behind young children, mourned by their families and friends. Very often, they were in shock because they were unaware of their disease which did not exhibit any symptoms until it has progressed to a late stage beyond cure. And yet much of that pain and suffering could be avoided because hepatitis infection could be prevented, treated and controlled. Given adequate resources, education, prevention and surveillance programs can be put in place to stamp out hepatitis infection and liver cancer.
Because hepatitis is a silent disease, it is often ignored; its deadliness as a major cause of liver cancer overlooked, and its danger as a public health threat underestimated. As a result, funding for programs to control the spread of hepatitis infection has long been far from adequate. As a practitioner, I am compelled to act to raise awareness, to educate, to screen, to protect and to treat my patients. However, I believe that my personal efforts are insignificant. I am convinced that if we act together, we have more voice; we can be heard. Together we will have more strength. Our concerted efforts will impress our policy makers, and drive home the need for increased public funding for hepatitis programs. Driven by the conviction that "Together We Can", I am reaching out to you and through you to your friends, to write to your congressional representatives to petition for increased funding to CDC and NIH. This will enable the implementation of much needed research, prevention, and surveillance programs to control the spread of the deadly disease of hepatitis infection and to reduce the mortality and morbidity of liver cancers.
Please visit http://livercancerfree.org/ for more information.
Simply put in your name and address with zip code and the program will automatically match it to the corresponding district and send an email to your congressional representatives. While you are on livercancerfree.org, please click on the link to the Harvard Cancer Prevention website and join their over 5 million members to sign an e-petition to Congress.
Kindly forward this email to as many contacts as you can.
Sincerely
Mark Li MD
Coordinator January 28, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Budgetary freeze will impact over 5M Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis
Budgetary freeze will impact over 5M Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis
Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) issued the following statement in advance of the President's State of the Union Address. NVHR is a coalition of more than 150 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans:
"With tonight's State of the Union address, the President kicks off a national discussion about how best to fund our nation's priorities and values through the FY 2011 federal budget. While we recognize the need to address our nation's economic challenges, it is critical that policymakers understand that a budgetary freeze would leave more than 5 million Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis out in the cold.
"In its budget proposal last year, the Administration proposed a meager increase of $51,000 for federal viral hepatitis prevention, treatment, and surveillance programs. Ultimately, Congress enacted a $900,000 increase in funding, but that figure is still woefully inadequate given the scope of this crisis. Our nation's public-health system cannot afford another year of neglect. Each and every day in 2010, more Americans will become infected and thousands more will silently progress to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure because they don't they know they are infected and need treatment. Without decisive federal action, Milliman estimates that public and private payer costs for treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion.
"Not surprisingly, earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine (IoM) issued a landmark report finding that the federal government has failed to provide adequate resources for national and local prevention, control, and surveillance programs for chronic viral hepatitis. As a result, the IoM has concluded that health-care providers lack the knowledge or awareness to screen and treat chronic viral hepatitis and that most infected Americans don't know they are infected, let alone getting treatment. The best available data finds that roughly 1 in 50 Americans are infected with chronic viral hepatitis. Although minorities are disproportionately affected, chronic viral hepatitis B and C afflict Americans from all walks of life.
"The Administration and Congress have an opportunity to make 2010 a year of action by funding chronic viral hepatitis prevention, treatment, and surveillance programs. Bipartisan legislation, 'The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act,' sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.) and Charles Dent (R-Pa) would increase federal funding for comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral programs for chronic viral hepatitis B and C infection. The bill would provide an initial $90 million in funding in 2011 – with additional funding thereafter – that will increase the ability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance efforts. Much of the legislation tracks with the IoM's recommendations. The legislation currently has 23 total bipartisan co-sponsors.
"It's time to bring a chronic illness afflicting more than 5 million Americans in from the cold and begin to address these diseases with the full force of decisive federal action they deserve."
SOURCE National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100128/Budgetary-freeze-will-impact-over-5M-Americans-afflicted-with-chronic-viral-hepatitis.aspx
Ms. Lorren Sandt, Chair of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) issued the following statement in advance of the President's State of the Union Address. NVHR is a coalition of more than 150 public, private, and voluntary organizations dedicated to reducing the incidence of infection, morbidity, and mortality from chronic viral hepatitis that afflicts more than 5 million Americans:
"With tonight's State of the Union address, the President kicks off a national discussion about how best to fund our nation's priorities and values through the FY 2011 federal budget. While we recognize the need to address our nation's economic challenges, it is critical that policymakers understand that a budgetary freeze would leave more than 5 million Americans afflicted with chronic viral hepatitis out in the cold.
"In its budget proposal last year, the Administration proposed a meager increase of $51,000 for federal viral hepatitis prevention, treatment, and surveillance programs. Ultimately, Congress enacted a $900,000 increase in funding, but that figure is still woefully inadequate given the scope of this crisis. Our nation's public-health system cannot afford another year of neglect. Each and every day in 2010, more Americans will become infected and thousands more will silently progress to liver cancer, cirrhosis, or liver failure because they don't they know they are infected and need treatment. Without decisive federal action, Milliman estimates that public and private payer costs for treating chronic viral hepatitis C alone will more than triple by 2024 to $85 billion.
"Not surprisingly, earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine (IoM) issued a landmark report finding that the federal government has failed to provide adequate resources for national and local prevention, control, and surveillance programs for chronic viral hepatitis. As a result, the IoM has concluded that health-care providers lack the knowledge or awareness to screen and treat chronic viral hepatitis and that most infected Americans don't know they are infected, let alone getting treatment. The best available data finds that roughly 1 in 50 Americans are infected with chronic viral hepatitis. Although minorities are disproportionately affected, chronic viral hepatitis B and C afflict Americans from all walks of life.
"The Administration and Congress have an opportunity to make 2010 a year of action by funding chronic viral hepatitis prevention, treatment, and surveillance programs. Bipartisan legislation, 'The Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and Prevention Act,' sponsored by Representatives Mike Honda (D-Calif.) and Charles Dent (R-Pa) would increase federal funding for comprehensive prevention, research, and medical management referral programs for chronic viral hepatitis B and C infection. The bill would provide an initial $90 million in funding in 2011 – with additional funding thereafter – that will increase the ability of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support state health departments in their prevention, immunization and surveillance efforts. Much of the legislation tracks with the IoM's recommendations. The legislation currently has 23 total bipartisan co-sponsors.
"It's time to bring a chronic illness afflicting more than 5 million Americans in from the cold and begin to address these diseases with the full force of decisive federal action they deserve."
SOURCE National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100128/Budgetary-freeze-will-impact-over-5M-Americans-afflicted-with-chronic-viral-hepatitis.aspx
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