The Hepatitis B Foundation is supporting the launch of HepBcommunity.org, a new global online forum dedicated to supporting those living with and affected by hep B. Dr. Thomas Tu, founder of the new forum, said, “Hepatitis B affects almost 300 million people globally and kills 800,000 people per year through liver cancer or liver failure.”

Living with hepatitis B himself, Dr. Tu started HepBcommunity.org for affected people worldwide to connect, form support networks and get advice from verified medical experts and researchers. Please read more here.

Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president of the Foundation, said the primary means for collecting patients’ accounts will be the Foundation's brief online survey.

“We hope this registry will provide us with the much-needed documentation to demonstrate that discrimination is a significant human rights violation for those living with hepatitis B that impacts all aspects of life,” Dr. Cohen said. Please read more here.

Our Annual Crystal Ball Gala on April 30 was a huge success! Though a virtual, online-only event, it was a great way to kickoff the Foundation's 30th Anniversary celebration.

The event also brought in more than $150,000 in pledges, which is a new record for our annual fundraiser. Of course, all of those funds will go to supporting public health, advocacy and research activities of the Hepatitis B Foundation and Blumberg Institute.

You can watch a recording of the event on the Gala website. It includes a new, nine-minute feature video (at 22:50 of the recording) that provides a rich view of our history.

"B Heppy" is the name of our brand-new podcast series, which we're launching with an episode focused on COVID-19 vaccines and hepatitis B. In our newest episode, co-founders Joan Block and Jan Witte talk about the Foundation's 30-year history. And Dr. Chari Cohen provides HepB 101, a highly educational and understandable presentation.

More Than B: Our new campaign to put a face on hepatitis B

Two years ago, Joe could not get out of his chair. Now, he is grateful to be more than B! Since retirement, Joe has more time to cook for his husband and work in the garden.

He belongs to a weekly men's heart circle and has hosted a talent show and a virtual home tour. Joe has also been working on his family tree and learning of his ancestors.

David has lived with hepatitis B his entire life, but that does not define him. His favorite outdoor activities include hiking, camping, swimming and rollerblading. David enjoys anything that gets him outdoors.

You can read more about our #justB storytellers and learn more about our our #MoreThanB campaign by following us on social media!

Join experts Robert Gish, MD, Hepatitis B Foundation medical director, and Aekata Shah, DO, in a one-hour, complimentary, accredited CME virtual workshop. You will 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. 

These tools are intended for community health educators and physicians, who can use them to raise hepatitis B awareness and encourage vaccination, testing and treatment, all in a culturally appropriate manner. These tools are available in French, Swahili, Amharic and Arabic. You can access them here.

Visit www.joinallofus.org to explore more about the program, learn more about data and its role in health equity, and sign up to participate!

As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Hepatitis Awareness Month, health equity is top of mind. The All of Us Research Program aims to increase diversity and inclusion in health and medical research, in hopes of eventually mainstreaming precision medicine or the practice of tailoring health care to meet the unique needs of each individual. The study also aims to examine the impact of lifestyle factors on health and why disease predispositions and medication efficacy vary between different communities.

On Thursday, May 27 (3 p.m. EDT/ 9 a.m. HST), join the Foundation and Hep Free Hawaii on Facebook Live as we discuss this program, particularly for AAPI communities!

Toy M, Hutton D, Harris A, Nelson N, Salomon J , So S

Clinical Infectious Diseases  May 6, 2021

Only about 33% of people living with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are aware of their infection. However, on the positive side, hepatitis B screening is recommended for pregnant women and populations with increased risk for CHB. The researchers here assessed the cost-effectiveness of universal adult screening for CHB. In contrast to the current practice, universal screening would avert an additional 7.4 cases of compensated cirrhosis, 3.3 cases of decompensated cirrhosis, 5.5 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, 1.9 liver transplants and 10.3 HBV related deaths. The resultant savings of $263,000 per 100,000 adults demonstrates that universal HBsAg screening of adults in the U.S. general population for CHB is cost-effective and likely cost-saving in contrast to current CHB screening recommendations. You can access the article here.

Join the Hepatitis B Foundation as we review our new 2020 Annual Report in a virtual webinar on Tues., June 8, from 4-5 p.m. EDT, hosted by Jean Holmes, MBA, vice president, institutional advancement. The webinar will include presentations by Timothy Block, PhD, president; Ju-Tao Guo, MD, Blumberg Institute vice president; and Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president, public health. To register, email jean.holmes@hepb.org.

Click here for the Champions Club web page.

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

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