Hepatitis Foundation International - Hepatitis Living and Learning Resources, Support and Answers

The Institute of Medicine Report Released:
“Hepatitis and Liver Cancer – A National Strategy for Prevention
and Control of Hepatitis B and C.”. A summary of the report is available at: viral hepatitis project website.

SAMHSA/CSAP Community Prevention Day

Don't Miss Powerful Motivational Prevention Messages.

"Best of Show" last year, Thelma King Thiel, aka, The Liver Lady,
is returning to share new and life-altering messages to impact
everyone's life.

Put Monday, February 8^th at 1:45 PM and again at 3:15 PM. at
the Gaylord National Convention Center in Washington, DC on
your "must attend” list for this important conference.

For more information, click here.

Registration Now Open

Sun: Southeastern
Viral Hepatitis Summit

February 5, 2010

Durham, North Carolina

Hepatitis Foundation International announces a 1 day

professional education and training Summit for health professionals

and others working with people who are affected by or infected
with viral hepatitis, including:

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ü others Text Box: ü nurses

ü counselors

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ü physician assistants

Click here for registration and agenda

Helpful Tips While Waiting for HCV Treatment
For those who are aware of their HCV infection and have opted
to wait for treatment, here are some important tips to support
your liver health in the meantime. Click here.

   Roche has announced that the United States Food & Drug
   Administration (FDA) approved an additional intended use for
   its licensed nucleic acid test, called the cobas® TaqScreen
   MPX Test for the simultaneous, direct detection of the human
   immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 Group M RNA, HIV-1 Group O
   RNA , HIV-2 RNA), hepatitis C virus RNA and hepatitis B virus
   DNA in human plasma. Click here.

Hepatitis Legislation
    The Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C bills have been combined in a
    bipartisan bill – Viral Hepatitis and Liver Cancer Control and
    Prevention Act 2009 (HR 3974) and introduced in Congress by
    U.S. Representative Mike Honda (D-CA) and Charles Dent (R-
    PA) on October 29. This bill will expand education for patients
    and health care providers, increase access to hepatitis testing
    and liver cancer screening, improve the capacity of health
    departments and support viral hepatitis prevention and
    education program across the nation. Click here to read the
   bill.

Impact of Lifestyles on Hepatitis C

In HCV-infected patients, the top three predictors of liver

    Click here for more information.

Telaprevir Effective in Treating Previously Failured Response

    Vertex’s telaprevir, an experimental drug for hepatitis C, is

News Notes

HBV Mutations May Predict Liver Cancer Risk

     A recent report published by the Journal of the National
     Cancer Institute states that certain mutations in the DNA of
     the hepatitis B virus are associated with the development of
     liver cancer and may be able to help determine which HBV
     patients are at increased risk.
      Click here for more information.

Sharing Insulin Pens a NO NO

    Individuals may be exposed to blood-borne pathogens that
    could cause diseases like hepatitis and HIV as a result of
    sharing insulin pens and insulin cartridges, which are only
    meant for single-patient use. Although insulin pens may
    contain enough insulin for several rounds of injection by self
    administration, the FDA has issued a health alert warning
    against the sharing of devices, as they are only approved for
    use with one patient per device. Even if the needles are
    changed between patients, it is not safe to share the insulin
    pens or insulin cartridges. Blood-borne pathogens, such as
    HIV and the hepatitis viruses may contaminate the reservoir
    after the injection, before the needle is changed.

Research Advances