Chronic viral hepatitis is a leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis that costs the nation's health system hundreds of millions of dollars each year, yet attracts little public attention. As many as 2 million people in the United States are living with chronic hepatitis B and an estimated 3.2 million are chronically infected with hepatitis C. However, most do not even know they are infected and miss out on getting early medical care, putting them at increased risk for developing serious liver disease.
To address this public health challenge, government, medical and community experts will meet September 10-11 in Washington, D.C. to plan an improved national response to viral hepatitis. The conference "The Dawn of a New Era: Transforming our Domestic Response to Hepatitis B & C" will feature keynote addresses, panel discussions and scientific poster sessions focused on enhancing the prevention and detection of viral hepatitis and improving care for people who are already living with the disease. Journalists are encouraged to participate in all aspects of the summit, and will enjoy unprecedented access to leading experts on viral hepatitis. A press room will be available.
WHO: Speakers include: -- John W. Ward, MD, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Viral Hepatitis -- Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Chair, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus -- Congressman Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center -- Anna S.F. Lok, MD, Director of Clinical Hepatology, University of Michigan -- Eugene R. Schiff, MD, Director, Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami School of Medicine -- Ronald O. Valdiserri, MD, MPH, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs -- Jeff Caballero, Executive Director, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations Sponsors and supporters of the summit meeting include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association's AGA Institute, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gilead Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.