Help us save lives today!
June 2020
June 9 Externally led Patient-Focused Drug Development online meeting draws 650-plus participants, gathers extensive input
The Hepatitis B Foundation hosted the first-ever exclusively online session in the history of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Externally Led Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD) meetings on June 9. A recording is posted here .

The meeting allowed drug developers, health care providers and FDA officials to hear directly from patients and caregivers regarding their experiences with chronic hepatitis B.

The technology functioned smoothly during the four-hour virtual meeting. About 650 individuals participated and more than 300 comments and dozens of phone calls were received. Comments will be accepted until June 30; the form is posted here . We will issue a report on the meeting in September.
Hepatitis B Foundation and Hep B United statement on the government's rollback of critical health care protections
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a rule last week to roll back critical nondiscrimination protections provided under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Section 1557, also referred to as the Health Care Rights Law, was enacted as part of the ACA in 2010 to protect patients from health care discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability, age and sex. Please read more here .
New hepatitis delta treatment may soon be approved in Europe
Hepcludex (formerly Myrcludex B), a new drug currently in phase 3 clinical trials for hepatitis delta, may be moving towards approval by the European Medicines Agency.

If approved, patients throughout Europe may be prescribed the treatment, which may help control their hepatitis delta better than interferon. In clinical studies, Hepcludex has shown to lower hepatitis delta virus levels and reduce liver inflammation.

For more information on this medication, click here .

For more information about hepatitis delta and clinical trials, visit www.hepdconnect.org .
Roger's story: #justB focused!
Roger felt he was in good health because he was active, worked out regularly, and had regular medical checkups. After a physical, Roger was surprised to learn he has hepatitis B. He set about researching the disease, and he discovered he had been infected as a child. His education also led to his family members getting tested and vaccinated to prevent infection.

Roger began taking medication and is living healthier now than ever. Please view the video of h is story here .

Our #justB campaign shares stories each month about someone affected by hepatitis B. View more videos and learn about our campaign  here .
Virtual conference June 22: Restriction without a cause...
End the HIV and HBV military ban

Join the Hepatitis B Foundation on  Monday, June 22, from 10-11:30 a.m. EDT for a presentation on U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) policies that restrict people living with HIV and hepatitis B from participating fully in their chosen career, and how we can work to address outdated policies.

More than 30 years have passed since DOD adopted strict policies to prohibit enlistment, commissioning or participation in training or scholarship programs. Other policies impose restrictions on deployment and continued service of active or reserve personnel who test positive for HIV or hepatitis B. In the intervening years, DOD failed to update the policies to reflect effective prevention and evidence-based monitoring and treatment that is now available thanks to medical and scientific advances.
Leading researchers lined up for Blumberg Institute seminars
The Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, which is the research arm of our Foundation, has a strong lineup of prominent researchers in hepatitis B and liver diseases for its online seminar series, which is free and open to anyone interested (pre-registration is required). Upcoming seminars are listed below in "Events" and on the Institute's website here.
Foundation appoints new Public Health Program coordinator
Evangeline Wang is our new Public Health Program coordinator. She will work on Philadelphia programming and outreach, help with the Hep B United and Hep B United Philadelphia newsletters, social media messaging, and state and citywide projects to address hepatitis B. Evangeline recently graduated from Arcadia University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and worked as an intern at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and HIPS, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C.

Evangeline Wang
World Hepatitis Day
In conjunction with World Hepatitis Day, the Hepatitis B Foundation is planning a number of activities. On July 21, join Hep B United partners and advocates across the country in participating in a virtual advocacy day! We will provide talking points and templates for you to email, call, or use social media to help raise awareness about hepatitis B and to urge U.S. federal lawmakers to support funding for hepatitis B programs and research. Subscribe to the  Hep B United Action Center to stay up to date on our policy and advocacy efforts. Look for more about our plans in the July issue of B News.
Become a HepB Champion today!
It’s easy to become a Champion! We rely on support from friends from all over the world to keep our programs and research going. By giving a small, monthly gift, you can help us find the cure and improve lives of people living with hepatitis B throughout the year! To become a Champion today, click here .
Hepatitis B Foundation journal pick of the month
Exploring the Impact of Storytelling on Storytellers in a
Hepatitis B Health Communication Context.

Alber JM, Cohen C, Racho R, Freeland C, Ghazvini S, Tolentino B, Almeida R, Silliman M

Patient Education and Counseling, April 2, 2020

After researchers interviewed 23 individuals who had participated in a hepatitis B storytelling campaign, they found that storytelling was a positive and comfortable experience that motivated the individuals to increase outreach and awareness, specifically regarding the stigma associated with hepatitis B. This study provides important implications for future campaigns. Please read more here .
June 30 - Marion Peters M.D., Stanford University
Bruce Witte Distinguished Lecture "Precision Medicine for CHB”


July 16 - Andrew Vaillant Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Replicor Inc.
Seminar: "Understanding HBsAg and subviral particles: key players in chronic HBV infection and key targets in achieving functional cure of HBV"


Aug. 13 - V. Narry Kim M.S., D.Phil, Professor, Seoul National University
Seminar: "Viral hijacking of host functions to protect viral RNA"


Sept. 10 - Rudolf Beran Ph.D., Gilead Sciences
Seminar: "Characterizing the interplay between hepatitis B virus X protein and Smc5/6"


Oct. 1 - Nicholas van Buuren Ph.D., Gilead Sciences
Seminar: "Integrated HBV DNA: Investigation of the Architecture and Potential Clinical Implications"


July 28 - World Hepatitis Day


Aug. 25-28 - EASL: The International Liver Congress
London
Learn more about our research and education programs at www.hepb.org
The Hepatitis B Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide. Our commitment includes funding focused research, promoting disease awareness, supporting immunization and treatment initiatives, and serving as the primary source of information for patients and their families, the medical and scientific community, and the general public.
Hepatitis B Foundation I 3805 Old Easton Road Doylestown, PA 18902 I
215-489-4900 I info@hepb.org