Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, is the President of the Hepatitis B Foundation.

Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH

Experts discuss the Role of Advocacy Organizations in HBV

Role of Advocacy Organizations in Hepatitis B Virus

In recognition of May 19 as World Hepatitis Testing Day and the month of May as Hepatitis Awareness Month, we are launching our latest 

, which spotlights a conversation between subject matter experts on updates and unmet needs in the management of 

Although not discussed with the same frequency and urgency as 

 within public health circles, HBV represents a significant impact to public health globally and within the US, where an estimated 2.4 million are chronically infected, because unlike with HCV, there is no cure for these chronically infected patients. However, like HCV, the ongoing opioid crisis in the US has contributed to ballooning rates of acute hepatitis B infection in recent years and only 25% of infected individuals receive a diagnosis, according to the Hepatitis B Foundation.

In the final installment of our 6-part discussion on updates in HBV, the focus shifts toward the role of advocacy and community involvement in improving the care cascade for this disease. Nancy Reau, MD, asks moderator Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, to elaborate on the significance of advocacy efforts in prioritizing elimination initiatives and ensuring access to vaccination and treatment globally. Cohen emphasized the need to elevate the patient voice and preferences to better understand the lived experience of HBV and tailor management approaches accordingly.

Andrew Talal, MD, discusses the challenges faced in HBV diagnosis and treatment, particularly the complexity of the pathway, replication, and linguistic barriers for some patients. Cohen reinforced the importance of community-based organizations in providing culturally competent education and support services to improve disease awareness and management.

In this 6-part discussion, our group of experts tackles the following topics:

Advances in Pathophysiology of Hepatitis B Virus

Implications of HBV DNA Integration on Care

Improving Hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination

Therapeutic Pipeline Updates in Hepatitis B Virus

Role of Advocacy, Patient Voice in Hepatitis B Virus

Nancy Reau, MD: Richard B. Capps Chair of Hepatology, Associate Director of Solid Organ Transplantation, and Section Chief of Hepatology at Rush University Medical Center.

Andrew Talal, MD: Professor of Medicine and Founder/Director of the Center for Research and Clinical Care in Liver Disease at the State University of New York at Buffalo - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Videos

In this segment of our 6-part discussion on updates and unmet needs within the management of hepatitis B virus focuses on the role of advocacy and patient voice in HBV management.

Role of Advocacy, Patient Voice in Hepatitis B

Experts discuss Unmet Needs in Hepatitis B

Discussing Unmet Needs in Hepatitis B

The fifth in our 6-part series, moderator Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, asks Nancy Reau, MD, and Andrew Talal, MD, about unmet needs in HBV management. Reau emphasized the importance of the CDC and WHO's simplified screening and treatment guidelines. She stressed the need to identify patients unaware of their status and ensure regular monitoring and treatment for those diagnosed. Talal highlighted expanding treatment access through telementoring and telemedicine, especially for patients with digital and health literacy challenges. He suggested these approaches should be further explored and implemented.

Cohen added that navigating patients through care is vital and requires more funding. She noted that patients often feel excluded from treatment decisions. Cohen highlights how new WHO guidelines encourage involving patients in discussions about their treatment preferences, but also emphasized the present need to address the quality of life impacts in future management guidelines.

In this segment of our 6-part discussion on updates and unmet needs within the management of hepatitis B virus focuses on the most pressing unmet needs in HBV for 2024.

Discussing Unmet Needs in Hepatitis B for 2024

Experts discuss Therapeutic Pipeline Updates in Hepatitis B

Therapeutic Pipeline Updates in Hepatitis B

The fourth in our 6-part series, begins with moderator Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, asking Nancy Reau, MD, and Andrew Talal, MD about the future of HBV treatments. Reau highlights the effectiveness of existing antiviral therapies, emphasizing that while new treatments are desirable, current treatments are quite effective when used. Reau goes on to stress the importance of HBV vaccination as a preventative measure. Reau mentioned the exciting potential of novel therapies, such as gene editing, but expressed hesitancy around predicting which new approaches would be most successful.

Talal agreed with Reau on the effectiveness of current therapies and the importance of vaccination. He pointed out that the use of combination therapies and treatment duration are ongoing areas of investigation. Talal likened the future of HBV treatment to the multi-targeted approach used in HIV therapy, noting the development of entry inhibitors and treatments that boost the host immune response. 

In this segment of our 6-part discussion on updates and unmet needs within the management of hepatitis B virus focuses on updates in the therapeutic pipeline.

Therapeutic Pipeline Updates in Hepatitis B Virus for 2024

Experts discuss improving hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination

The third in our 6-part series, Nancy Reau, MD, and Andrew Talal, MD, explore strategies for enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration in managing HBV, given the recent WHO guidelines and universal screening recommendations in the US. Reau emphasized the importance of awareness around the new screening guidelines to identify and treat more patients. She suggests simplifying the rules for screening and treatment to make it easier for a broader range of clinicians, including primary care providers and addiction medicine specialists, to manage HBV.

Talal highlighted the significance of integrating treatment across different clinical settings. He shared insights from a recent JAMA study his team led showing that using telemedicine for HCV treatment in methadone programs significantly improved response rates compared to off-site referrals. He suggested that similar approaches could benefit HBV management by expanding treatment access through trusted clinicians and the use of telemedicine. Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, added that echostyle training has been employed for hepatitis B management, demonstrating its potential to help clinicians worldwide manage the disease effectively.

In this segment of our 6-part discussion on updates and unmet needs within the management of hepatitis B virus focuses on the need to improve HBV screening and vaccination.

Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH

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