via National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
October 14, 2010
NVHR: New Report Confirms
Chronic Viral Hepatitis Is Winnable Public Health Battle
Washington, DC—With a new report from liver-health/health policy experts confirming – yet again – that chronic viral hepatitis is a winnable public-health battle, the Administration must step up and devote the necessary resources to stop this long-neglected epidemic, the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable (NVHR) said today. Chronic viral hepatitis afflicts nearly 6 million Americans directly and, by extension, millions more of their loved ones.
NVHR issued the comments in conjunction with a Capitol Hill briefing held today by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) to highlight a new report the two groups jointly issued calling for urgent action to modernize our nation’s public health response to viral hepatitis. Congressional staffers heard from a panel of experts, including Michael Ninburg, Executive Director, Hepatitis Education Project in Seattle, WA and a NVHR Steering Committee Member.
“Today’s briefing is a sobering reminder to policymakers that the fight against viral hepatitis B and C can be clearly won if we have the political will to do so,” said Mr. Ninburg. “For a modest up-front investment, Congress and the Administration can prevent tens of thousands of viral hepatitis-related deaths in the coming years and, in doing so, ease the strain on Medicare and Medicaid.”
The new AASLD/TFAH report on viral hepatitis is the second major report issued in the past 10 months detailing highly specific recommendations for addressing the viral hepatitis crisis. With an emphasis on screening, prevention, and early intervention, the new report complements a January 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) that indicted the current and inadequate public-health response to viral hepatitis. Similarly to AASLD/TFAH, the IOM calls on policymakers to take urgent action to address viral hepatitis now before our system becomes deluged with chronic cases of viral hepatitis and its related conditions, including cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver damage.
Nearly 20,000 Americans will die this year alone in the US from viral hepatitis-related causes. A report last year from the research group Milliman found that, absent decisive action, viral hepatitis C alone will cost Medicare and Medicaid $85 billion annually by 2024.
Complete press release here: http://www.nvhr.org/pdf/final_nvhr_press_release_on_aasld_tfah10_14_10.pdf