Agouron-Roche-Hepatitis C:
American Liver Foundation and Hoffmann-La Roche Team Up to Raise Awareness of America's New Epidemic: Hepatitis C
Program Launched During National Hepatitis Awareness Week, October 19-25
NEW YORK, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Liver Foundation (ALF) will provide consumers direct access to medical experts who will answer questions about the viral infection that affects an estimated four million Americans. Most people aren't aware that they are infected, and typically do not have symptoms until liver damage occurs, often many years later.
The hotline, 888-924-2624, will be open from noon until 6 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday, October 22 for all people who have questions about hepatitis C. Adrian Di Bisceglie, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine at the St. Louis University School of Medicine, and other physicians will be answering the calls. Spanish-speaking callers will be accommodated. The information line, sponsored with a grant by Hoffmann-La Roche, is a featured part of the American Liver Foundation's National Hepatitis Awareness Week, October 19-25.
For the past three years, the American Liver Foundation has observed National Hepatitis Awareness Week in recognition that this disease is a major threat to public health. This year's observance is particularly important for hepatitis C, in light of the increasing number of people at risk for or infected with this disease. ''More people are becoming aware of the problem that hepatitis C poses for the future, as well as the present,'' says Alan P. Brownstein, President of ALF. ''Currently 8,000 to 10,000 Americans die from this disease each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that figure is expected to triple over the next 10-20 years, resulting in a higher death rate from hepatitis C than from AIDS. Our goal during National Hepatitis Awareness Week is to create a direct dialogue between the public and physicians, and to answer any questions people have about this complex disease.''
Because of its concern about hepatitis C, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) called a consensus conference last March on the management of the virus (HCV). The American Liver Foundation was actively involved with the NIH Consensus Conference in recruiting a representative of the consumer community to serve on the consensus panel. Both ALF and Hoffmann-La Roche have embraced the findings of the panel. ALF, based on the findings of the NIH consensus panel, has identified five hepatitis C imperatives:
HCV awareness must be increased among the general public and the medical community Screening and diagnosis should be available to everyone who needs it Information pertaining to treatment options should be available to everyone who needs it Effective hepatitis C treatment should be available to everyone who needs it More research is needed to effectively prevent, treat, and cure this disease
By conducting this program during National Hepatitis Awareness Week, ALF and Hoffmann-La Roche will increase awareness of hepatitis C. The American Liver Foundation is a national resource for all who need information about hepatitis C. It operates an information hotline, distributes brochures and fact sheets on the disease, and conducts educational forums. Its 26 chapters conduct additional educational programs, coordinates support groups, and promotes blood screening programs as a way to encourage the diagnosis of HCV infection and follow-up medical care. In addition, ALF supports increasing hepatitis C research through its public advocacy, and by raising funds for ongoing research.
Hoffmann-La Roche is dedicated to researching new and more effective treatments and screening tools for hepatitis. The NIH consensus panel established treatment standards for HCV infection, which stated 12-months of treatment with the drug interferon as the standard course. Hoffmann-La Roche is one of the manufacturers and marketers of interferon.
Because hepatitis C typically causes little or no warning symptoms, the American Liver Foundation urges everyone, during National Hepatitis Awareness Week, to become familiar with the risk factors of hepatitis C, and further urges those who think they may have been exposed to the virus to get tested.
Hepatitis C is spread through blood to blood contact. Anyone who has received a blood transfusion before 1992, when an effective test to detect the virus was developed, should be tested for HCV. It can be transmitted through the sharing of personal care items such as toothbrushes or razors, and can also be spread through injection and intranasal drug use. Tattooing or body piercing with contaminated equipment can also pose a risk. Hepatitis C is currently the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States.
The American Liver Foundation is a national voluntary health organization dedicated to preventing, treating and curing liver and gallbladder diseases through research and education. The information contained in this press release is provided for information only. This information does not constitute medical advice and it should not be relied upon as such. The American Liver Foundation (ALF) does not engage in the practice of medicine. ALF, under no circumstances, recommends particular treatments for specific individuals, and in all cases recommends that you consult your physician before pursuing any course of treatment.
Headquartered in Nutley, NJ, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. is an affiliate of the multinational group of companies headed by Roche Holding Ltd. of Basel, Switzerland. One of the world's leading research-intensive health care companies, Roche has discovered, developed and introduced numerous important prescription pharmaceuticals. |
