28 Jul 2020
World Hepatitis Day: a hepatitis B story
Today is World Hepatitis Day. An estimated 325 million people around the world live with a hepatitis infection.
This week, the Doherty Institute website will highlight some of the work our team is doing to tackle viral hepatitis globally.
The International Coalition to Eliminate Hepatitis B Virus (ICE-HBV) based at the Doherty Institute have produced a moving video to raise awareness for people living with chronic hepatitis B, to reduce stigma and briefly touch on the progress of research into a cure.
ICE-HBV Chair, Professor Peter Revill said that despite the existence of an excellent preventative vaccine and antiviral therapies which effectively control the virus, chronic hepatitis B affects 257 million people worldwide including 240,000 Australians and is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
“The global hepatitis B research community is working together with people living with hepatitis B to develop cures and many approaches are currently in early stage clinical trials. Until these cures are available, it is imperative that people are tested and receive the life-saving antiviral treatment to control their HBV infection and prevent liver disease,” Professor Revill said.
“ICE-HBV encourages more people to get tested and treated for chronic HBV, and to let people living with HBV know that the global HBV research community is in their corner and is striving for a cure, so we can live a #hepfreefuture.”
“We thank the Hepatitis B Foundation, the World Hepatitis Alliance and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis at the Doherty Institute for their assistance preparing this important message.”