Viral Hepatitis

This document discusses how NASTAD strongly encourages 340B program administrators to incorporate health equity into their programs. Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible and this requires removing obstacles to health such as structural racism and the intentional lack of social safety nets and investments that lead to poverty, unstable housing, food deserts, inadequate infrastructure and environmental injustices. 

This document supports viral hepatitis program administrators in educating and preparing leadership to support 340B program implementation and partnerships. 

The landscape of treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has evolved substantially since the introduction of highly effective HCV protease inhibitor therapies in 2011. The pace of change has increased rapidly as numerous new drugs with different mechanisms of action have become available over the past few years.

The recent emergence of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) calls for enhanced cooperation between public health authorities, homeless service systems, and other partners at the local level. HUD strongly encourages CoCs to contact their local public health departments, Healthcare for the Homeless agencies, and other local health partners to ensure the unique needs and opportunities related to the homeless service system are incorporated in plans to prevent and respond to infectious diseases like COVID-19.

The Unitaid-funded LONGEVITY project aims to develop long-acting formulations for malaria and latent tuberculosis (TB) prevention and a single-injection cure for hepatitis C virus (HCV) for low- and middle-income countries, as these diseases disproportionately affect children, poor and marginalized communities, people who use drugs, and people living with HIV.

Although hepatitis B is preventable and treatable, there is still no cure for this disease. In addition to the devastating toll on patients and their families, ignoring hepatitis B costs the U.S. an estimated $4 billion per year in medical costs. Yet, the NIH will spend only $66 million in FY 2021 on hepatitis B research. Read more in this fact sheet.

This research discusses how PrEP was approved for HIV prevention in the US in 2012; uptake has been slow. Black and Hispanic people have higher rates of new HIV diagnoses than White non-Hispanic people in the US. We describe the inequitable use of PrEP by race within US regions from 2012-2021.

The Viral Hepatitis National Progress Report provides information on progress in the implementation of recommended interventions and the impact these interventions are having on prevention of viral hepatitis transmission, disease, and associated mortality.

This report discusses that national pharmacy claims data for 2014–2020, 843 329 persons were treated for hepatitis C at least once. The proportion treated increased annually among persons aged <40 years, insured by Medicaid, and treated by primary care providers. Monitoring hepatitis C treatment is essential to identify barriers to treatment access.

B Heppy is a podcast aimed to inform and help individuals living with hepatitis B through discussing various topics related to hepatitis B.