Our Discrimination Registry has gotten off to a strong start, with more than 57 completed responses from countries around the world, including Ghana, China, Australia and the U.S. You can use the information on our site to help advocate for yourself, report your experience with discrimination on the Hepatitis B Foundation's Discrimination Registry or contact the Hepatitis B Foundation at discrimination@hepb.org or 215-489-4900 if you need additional assistance.

Others have had trouble navigating specific health information related to COVID-19 for people with liver disease and concerns related to the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for people living with hepatitis B and liver disease. Please read more here.

June is Pride Month in the United States and the Hepatitis B Foundation is celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

You can find our blog here.

The pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb is now enrolling for two clinical trials in liver cancer (also called hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC). The reference numbers for these trials are CA209-9DW and CA209-74W.

Click here to learn more about full trial requirements, lists of tests and procedures used to determine trial eligibility and more details about clinical trial participation in general.

"B Heppy" is the name of our brand-new podcast series and the World Hepatitis Day (July 28) edition will feature Thomas Tu, PhD, founder of HepBcommunity.org, a new global online forum dedicated to supporting those living with and affected by hep B.

Previous episodes include interviews with Joan Block and Jan Witte, two of our founders, talking about our organization's 30-year history. We also have Dr. Chari Cohen's excellent Hep B 101 presentation, which is highly educational and understandable. You can find the podcast here.

to join our Champions Club, click here!

Join experts Robert Gish, MD, Hepatitis B Foundation medical director, and Aekata Shah, DO, in a one-hour, complimentary, accredited CME virtual workshop. You'll hear recommendations for hepatitis B virus (HBV) testing, best practices for patient education and counseling, treatment considerations for patients with chronic HBV and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk, screening and surveillance. Patient advocates also will discuss perspectives from the patient community on the challenges they face regarding HBV testing and treatment. Space is limited. Reserve your spot today! More details here.

Common concerns, barriers to care and the lived experience of individuals with hepatitis B: a qualitative study

Freeland C, Farrell S, Kumar P, Kamischke M, Jackson M, Block T, Frasso R, Cohen C

BMS Public Health  May 28, 2021

Though about 300 million people around the world are living with hepatitis B, very little is know about the quality of life and impact of HBV on those living with the infection. This study reviewed a random sample of HBV-related email queries sent to the Hepatitis B Foundation during a one-year period in 2018-19. The contenst were analyzed qualitatively to highlight information needs and explore the experiences of people living with HBV and their families and loved ones. The analysis revealed three themes: 1) health-specific challenges, 2) emotional needs and 3) informational needs related to prevention and transmission, and interpretation of lab tests. You can access the article here.

On June 17 at 11 a.m. EDT, Maura Dandri, PhD, University of Hamburg, Germany, will speak about "cccDNA shut down in chronic hepatitis B."

On July 22 at 11 a.m. EDT, Philip S. Low, PhD, will discuss "Targeted Immunotherapies for Viral Diseases.” The registration link will be available shortly.

Upcoming seminars are listed on the Institute's website here, where you also can watch recordings of prior Blumberg 2020 Research Seminars.

Our leadership team gave a detailed overview of our 2020 Annual Report during a webinar on June 8, which we recorded. Hosted by Jean Holmes, MBA, vice president, institutional advancement, the webinar included presentations by Timothy Block, PhD, president; Ju-Tao Guo, MD, Blumberg Institute vice president; and Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president, public health. The recording is posted here.

A patient forum, hosted by the Hepatitis B Foundation, is set for Sept. 30 during the HBV International meeting. The forum will facilitate engaging conversations among hepatitis B communities, particularly patients and the doctors, nurses, public health professionals and scientists participating in the influential International HBV Meeting. The goal is to fast-track an HBV cure and to eliminate stigma and discrimination. More info is here.