B News...You Can Use - December 2008 Volume 5 Issue 6

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B News...You Can Useþ December 2008 Volume 5 Issue 6

B News...You Can Use

The e-newsletter of the Hepatitis B Foundation

www.hepb.org

First Public Meeting of IOM Study on Chronic Viral Hepatitis

Hepatitis B Foundation Invited to Testify

At its first public meeting held on Dec. 4 in Washington, D.C., the Institute of

Medicine (IOM)Committee heard presentations from Drs. Ward, Dale Hu and

Weinbaum from the Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC); Martha Saly and from the National Viral

Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR); and community presentations by Lorren Sandt from

the Hepatitis C Caring Ambassadors, and Joan Block from the Hepatitis B

Foundation. In their statement of work, the IOM Committee is charged with

determining strategies to prevent new HBV and HCV infections, determining

strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality related to chronic hepatitis

infections, and assessing the type and quality of data needed from state and

local viral hepatitis surveillance systems to guide and evaluate prevention

services. The IOM is preparing a comprehensive report on the Prevention and

Control of Viral Hepatitis in the U.S., slated for publication in 2010, which

will impact public policy and federal funding. Dr. Palmer Beasley is chairing

the Expert Committee.

National Task Force on Hepatitis B Expert Panel Releases Goals and Strategies

Goals and Strategies to Address Chronic Hepatitis B in Asian American Native

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Populations presents the recommendations of

the National Task Force on Hepatitis B Expert Panel, convened by the HHS Office

of Minority Health (OMH). The Goals and Strategies document lays out a national

action agenda to eliminate hepatitis B in AA/NHOPI communities. Key elements

include increasing national awareness of the disproportionate impact, engaging

stakeholders, and expanding the infrastructure needed to reduce the risk of

chronic hepatitis B infection and its long-term complications.

Worldwide Update: Hepatitis B Vaccination of Newborns

A recent publication by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,

MMWR Weekly: 57(46);1249-1252) found that 36% of newborns born in endemic areas

of the world (with HBV prevalence>8%) receive the birth dose of the hepatitis B

vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the HBV vaccine, with

birth dose, for all infants born in these high-risk countries. This relatively

low birth dose rate of 36% indicates that program performance for newborn HBV

vaccination needs improvement.

Dr. McMahon Featured in New Podcast at www.hepb.org

How Long Does Protection from Hepatitis B and A Vaccines Last?

HBF invited Dr. McMahon, Scientific Program and Clinical Director, Liver

Disease and Hepatitis Program, Alaska Native Medical Center, to give a seminar

at the Hepatitis B Foundation on November 12 to present his study results on the

long-term immunity from the hepatitis A and B vaccines. Download this free

Podcast now!

Liver Cancer Still Rising in the U.S.

For the 3rd straight year, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) reports that the

incidence of liver cancer continues to rise in the United States. According to

the NCI's 2008 Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer

(JCNI,2008:100;1672-1694), both the incidence and death rates from all cancers

combined continue to decrease significantly. However, liver cancer continues to

be among the few cancers with increasing mortality. Most significantly, liver

cancer ranks 2nd in cause of cancer death for Asian and Pacific Islander men.

Esophageal and pancreatic cancer also increased in mortality.

Researchers at the Hub of Biotechnology

The PA Biotechnology Center, created and owned by the Hepatitis B Foundation to

accelerate its research mission in 2006, was recently featured as a " Hub of

Biotechnology " in Pennsylvania. Foundation researchers are working side by side

with commercial scientists at the PA Biotechnology Center to discover new

therapeutics and prevention methods for HBV, HCV, liver cancer, and other

important diseases. Learn more about the exciting research taking place at the

Hepatitis B Foundation.

Do Young Adults with Chronic Hepatitis B Need Liver Cancer Screening?

Results of a recently published study (Journal of Gastroenterology, Nov

2008:43(11);881-88) found that people under 40 who are diagnosed with liver

cancer have similar survival outcomes of older patients due to the advanced

stage of disease at diagnosis. However, in adults under 40 who are diagnosed

early, there is a distinct survival advantage. These findings highlight the

importance of providing liver cancer surveillance to people under the age of 40

with chronic hepatitis B.

Must Reads

Hepatitis B Publications You Don't Want to Miss!!

· Predicting survival after liver transplantation in patients with

hepatocellular carcinoma beyond the Milan criteria: a retrospective, exploratory

analysis. Lancet Oncology, early online. Study results indicate that current

criteria for liver transplant due to liver cancer may be too restrictive, and

can exclude people who have the potential for good survival rates.

· Hepatitis B virus screening for internationally adopted children.

Pediatrics, Dec 2008:122(6);1223-1228. Data, including a 4% infection rate,

reinforce the importance of HBV screening and infection control measures in

international adoptees.

· Deaths due to bloodborne infections and their sequelae among

health-care workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Nov

2008:15(11);812-824. A study performed by researchers at CDC's National

Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicate that health care

workers are more likely to die from HIV, HBV, or HCV and related liver disease

than people working in other occupations.

Boost Your " B " Knowledge

· Hepatitis B Clinical Consults is a web-based training program to

educate primary care physicians who serve the API community about the importance

of screening, diagnosis, and treatment for chronic HBV. Faculty includes Drs.

Tse-Ling Fong, Hie-Won Hann, Eddie Cheung, and Tram Tran. The course is offered

by Indicia Medical Education, in partnership with the Hepatitis B Foundation,

and offers to 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. It expires September 15, 2009.

· HBV Screening, Evaluation and Monitoring: An Interactive Decision

Support Tool. Clinical Care Options HBV Core Curriculum 2008. Offers up to 2.25

category 1 AMA credits.

· Hepatitis B: Advances in Screening, Diagnosis and Clinical Management

- Volume 4. Medscape Infectious Diseases presents this course that includes

presentations on screening guidelines, treatment and medication adherence.

Offers up to 1.75 category 1 AMA credits.

Calendar of Events

January 8, 2009 - Hepatitis B Suppport Group, 1305 York Avenue, 2nd floor,

Y-206, New York, 10021. Sponsored by Weill Cornell Medical Center.

February 13-16, 2009 - 19th Conference of APASL 2009, Hong Kong, China. Annual

meeting of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver.

March 20-24, 2009 - 13th International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver

Disease, Washington, D.C. Hosted by the AASLD and NIH.

June 26-27, 2009 - B Informed Patient Conference, Doylestown, PA. Hosted by the

HBF. Join us for this 9th annual gathering at Delaware Valley College!

April 4, 2009 - HBF Crystal Ball Honors Dr. McMahon as Distinguished

Scientist, Doylestown, PA.

May 19, 2009 - World Hepatitis Day, organized by the World Hepatitis Alliance in

countries around the world, including the United States.