Hepatitis B is the largest health disparity amongst Asian and Pacific Islanders. It is the leading cause of liver cancer, and about 1 in 12 Asian Americans have hepatitis B. To give it a global perspective, 380 million people have hepatitis B, about 10 times the number of those living with HIV. However, it doesn’t just affect API. Liver disease resulting from viral hepatitis is also a leading cause of death in HIV/AIDS patients. The most dangerous aspect of the disease is that there are almost no symptoms until it is too late even though there is a very effective vaccine for HBV. That’s why if untreated, 1 in 4 will die from the disease.
This year, for the first time, Team HBV is in a position to make a real impact on this issue. There have been a number of successful grassroots movements recently. So in the spirit of youth activism, we launched a Campaign Hep B 2012 to get the Obama administration to allocate more money toward a concrete plan to screen and treat viral hepatitis.
We ask that you take a minute to read over the text in “Why This is Important”. The Letter to President Obama is the actual message that is sent to the White House for every signature we get for the petition. With your help, we can work toward totally eradicating the next disease after smallpox. It’s not the science that’s getting in the way, it’s the system. Help us spread the world, and thank you for your support!