Earlier this spring, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (The National Academies) released the National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C: Phase 2 Report to bring greater urgency to a set of diseases that is the seventh leading cause of death in the world. This report, co-sponsored by the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, outlines a strategy to eliminate hepatitis B and C and prevent nearly 90,000 deaths by 2030.
Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver most often caused by a virus. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function to process nutrients, filter blood, and fight infection can be affected. In the U.S., an estimated 4.4 million people live with hepatitis B or C, and about half of them are unaware of their status. This can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment, an increased risk of transmission of virus to others, and liver damage — which can lead to liver cancer and even death.
The good news is that we have a safe and effective vaccine for hepatitis B and a curative treatment for hepatitis C. Hepatitis Awareness Month in May is an opportunity for us to continue the dialogue on this urgent public health issue and draw attention to populations that have higher rates of viral hepatitis and are most affected by hepatitis B virus, such as Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
As a pharmacist and member of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, I am encouraged by the goals set forth by The National Academies. The report is a valuable resource as we seek to raise awareness, provide education and link individuals to appropriate prevention and treatment. Prevention is the first step to eliminating hepatitis B and C. About 90 percent of U.S. children were fully immunized against hepatitis B in 2013, but only about a quarter of adults over 19 were immunized. One way to address this is to expand access to adult hepatitis B vaccination, removing barriers to immunization in pharmacies and other settings, similar to the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The National Academies report works hand-in-hand with the HHS National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan in addressing the barriers to care faced by racial and ethnic minority communities and other vulnerable populations. Expanding the use of culturally competent and linguistically appropriate prevention and care services can improve our response to viral hepatitis health disparities. This is a necessary component to help reduce the number of new infections and deaths due to hepatitis B for priority populations, including Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Eliminating hepatitis B and C is within our grasp. HHS OMH will continue to play an important role in these efforts by working with our partners to address stigma, increase awareness and testing, and eliminate barriers to care and treatment in ways that are respectful to the cultural and linguistic differences of the populations we serve.
National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C: Phase 2 Report Resources:
www.nationalacademies.org/HepatitisElimination
Report Highlights
Report Recommendations
To learn more about hepatitis, visitwww.cdc.gov/hepatitis
To download resources hepatitis B resources for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, visit
www.cdc.gov/knowhepatitisb
To view the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2017 – 2020, visit www.hhs.gov/hepatitis/viral-hepatitis-action-plan