May 2022
#justBLoud for Hepatitis Awareness Month
This May, for Hepatitis Awareness Month, we're asking you to #justBLoud for hepatitis B. Currently, up to 2.4 million people living in the U.S. have chronic hepatitis B, and yet people aren't talking about it enough. The louder we are, the more we can help people get screened, vaccinated, or treated for this serious disease.

You can help spread the word by sharing a short video about why hepatitis awareness is important to you and tagging it #justBLoud.

Learn more in our recent blog post or video.
HepBcommunity Research Showcase launched
We are pleased to announce the Inaugural 2022 HepBcommunity.org Research Showcase! Hepatitis B researchers in basic, translational, clinical, public health, or social science are invited to showcase their research, to encourage dialogue between the scientific and affected communities. There are monetary prizes for researchers with the most engaging discussions! Forum members will have a chance to ask questions and cast votes to decide on the most engaging research, and forum members will have a chance to win monetary prizes for posting the best questions! Research must be posted by June 6, voting closes July 4. For details on how to participate, please visit the HepBcommunity now.
Pediatric hepatitis outbreak resources
Pediatric hepatitis outbreaks in the U.S. and several European countries over the past few weeks and months have raised new concerns as a number of children have suffered liver damage (liver inflammation, or “hepatitis”) after becoming ill.

These children do not have evidence of any hepatitis viruses, including hepatitis A, B, C, D or E. Instead, scientists are investigating the possibility of an adenovirus, a common childhood virus that can cause gastroenteritis and cold symptoms, as a cause. Adenoviruses have been known to cause acute hepatitis in children who are immune compromised, but they do not commonly cause hepatitis in otherwise healthy children.
As clinicians and researchers continue to investigate, they will learn more about this acute hepatitis outbreak.

We have posted some resources for parents here. We will keep this page updated with new information as it becomes available.
Consult corner: What can I do to protect my baby from my chronic hepatitis B infection?
Welcome to Consult Corner, where we answer some of the most commonly asked questions!

This month's question: I am currently pregnant and I have chronic hepatitis B. What should I do to protect my baby?

Pregnant people who have hepatitis B can transmit the virus to their newborns during delivery (due to the blood exchanged during the childbirth process). Many of these babies will become chronically infected, which increases their risk of serious liver disease later in life. However, we can prevent hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby! There are a few simple steps you and your doctor can take, including a birth dose vaccine.

Learn more about the steps here.

If you are interested in learning more about topics like this, please join the HepBcommunity online forum here.
New "B Heppy" podcast: What should I eat for my liver?
In this episode, B Heppy interviews Dr. Jennifer Lai to talk about nutrition and living with hepatitis B or liver disease. We talk about what diet is best for your liver, how to overcome barriers to eating mindfully and the nutritional advice she gives to people living with hepatitis B. 

You can find the podcast episodes here or anywhere you get your podcasts.

AND, if you'd like to suggest a topic for B Heppy, please send an email to info@hepb.org.
Cancer disparities project wins medical school award
A poster describing phase one results of our project focused on addressing liver cancer disparities won a second place award at the May 5 Jefferson Department of Medicine Disparities Summit, in Philadelphia. Thomas Chen, who graduates from the Sidney Kimmel Medical School at Thomas Jefferson University in May, was lead author and poster present. He has been working on this project as a graduate student intern and will starting his medical residency at Mt. Sinai in New York City. You can learn more about this project here.
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Foundation intern earns high honor for work with
liver cancer disparities
Suzanne Block, Hepatitis B Foundation public health intern, recently won a Dean’s Award for Best Virtual Research Poster Presentation at the Drexel University Emerging Graduate Scholars Conference. Suzanne presented preliminary results from our project to address health disparities associated with hepatitis B and liver cancer through culturally specific communications. Suzanne graduates with her MPH from Drexel in June and will begin pursuit of her doctorate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Congratulations, Suzanne! You can learn more about the disparities project here.
Hepatitis B online features continuing education for clinicians
Hepatitis B Online is a free, up-to-date educational website for diagnosing, monitoring, managing and preventing hepatitis B infection. The site offers free CME credits and CNE contact hours, and features sections on hepatitis B medications and vaccinations, nine clinical calculators, and progress tracking. The site also hosts a simplified clinical guidance for primary care providers developed in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary HBV Primary Care Workgroup. Hepatitis B Online is solely funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cooperative Agreement and developed by the University of Washington Infectious Diseases Education & Assessment Program. 
Low cost medication programs in the U.S.
We are excited that online discount pharmacies in the U.S. are offering medications such as entecavir and tenofovir at affordable prices. DiRx Health and RX Outreach are working with the Hepatitis B Foundation to make these programs possible and make sure they are focusing on what hepatitis B patients need.

Learn more about these programs and others here.
Big things happening at the Hepatitis B Foundation
Philadelphia City Council recognizes May as Hepatitis Awareness Month
The Hepatitis B Foundation and Hep B United Philadelphia applaud the City of Philadelphia’s Resolution that recognizes May as Hepatitis Awareness Month. Please read more here.

Hepatitis B Foundation hosts Princeton Workshop on Liver Cancer
The Hepatitis B Foundation hosted more than 30 top scientists and physicians from across the U.S. for a day-long meeting April 28 on "Liver Cancer Risk, Prevention and Early Detection: Challenges and Opportunities to Improve Outcomes." Please read more here

Annual Gala raises a record amount for the local Hepatitis B Foundation
The Hepatitis B Foundation Gala, an annual fundraiser and celebration of the nonprofit’s people and achievements, was held on April 1 at The Warrington, a popular event venue in Warrington, Pa. Gilead Sciences Inc. was the presenting sponsor of this record-breaking event. Read more here

Hepatitis D Roundtable to Address Unmet Needs of Patients
The American Liver Foundation and Hepatitis B Foundation will join forces with key stakeholders concerned with identifying and addressing the unmet needs of people living with hepatitis D virus (HDV). Read more here
International HBV Meeting registration open!
Now accepting abstracts
Registration and Abstract Submission Portals for the 2022 International HBV Meeting are now open. This year's Meeting will take place September 18-22 in person in Paris France, and online! 
 
Please visit www.hbvmeeting.org for meeting information, important deadlines and access to the Registration and Abstract Submission Portals.
Run for hep B at the New York City Marathon!
We’re excited to share that the Hepatitis B Foundation has been selected as an Official Charity Partner of the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. We'd love your help! We’re looking for runners to join our inaugural RUN 4 HEP B team. Make your miles matter and run with us on Sunday, Nov. 6!

Interested? Please complete the application here as soon as possible, and email to Run4HepB@gmail.com
#justB excited for new stories
The #justB storytelling campaign aims to raise the profile of hepatitis B as an urgent public health priority and help put a human face on this serious disease by sharing stories of real people living with or affected by hepatitis B. The goals of the campaign are to increase awareness and advocacy, decrease stigma and discrimination, and promote testing, vaccination, linkage to care and treatment to help save lives. 

We are working on brand new stories to share in the coming months, but right now, please see the rich library of stories we already have to share. Click here to see the stories.

Make your own short story as part of Hepatitis Awareness Month's #justBLoud campaign. Simply take a short cell phone video and share it online. Learn more here.
Hepatitis B Foundation's publication pick of the month
Protection and Antibody Levels 35 Years after Primary Series with
Hepatitis B Vaccine and Response to a Booster Dose
Bruce MG, Bruden D, Hurlburt D, Morris J, Bressler S, Thompson G, Lecy D, Rudolph K, Bulkow L, Hennessy T, Simons BC, Weng MK, Nelson N, McMahon BJ
Hepatology - March 23, 2022
Scientists and physicians do not know precisely how long a hepatitis B vaccination protects children and adults from infection by the virus.

To help answer that question, this study looked at a group of almost 1,600 Native American adults and children six months or older who were vaccinated in 1981 using three doses of plasma-derived hepatitis B vaccine. Of that group, 320 people were recruited for this follow-up study. The researchers found that about 86% of the adults tested showed evidence of protection 35 years later. The study also determined that booster doses are not needed in the general population at this time.

The authors include one of the Hepatitis B Foundation’s scientific and medical advisors, Brian McMahon, MD, scientific and clinical director, Liver Disease and Hepatitis Program, Alaska Native Medical Center, Fairbanks.

Note: Additional recommendations for new journal articles are posted here.
May 19 - Hepatitis Testing Day

May 19 - Hepatitis B Community Health Center Learning Collaborative

June 8-10 - World Hepatitis Summit, Bangkok and online

June 9 - Blumberg Institute Seminar: Cehn Liu, MD, PhD, Yale University

Sept. 18-22 - International HBV Meeting
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