(2 of 9)
April 15, 2004
CDC RELEASES VIETNAMESE, KOREAN, AND CHINESE VERSIONS OF "HEPATITIS B AND YOU"

CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis now offers the PowerPoint presentation "Hepatitis B and You" in English, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese. This health education program is designed to educate women who test positive for HBV during pregnancy. The Vietnamese and Korean versions were provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Viral Hepatitis program.

All four versions can be downloaded at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/index.htm

Many more resources, including brochures, posters, and recommendations, are available from the Division of Viral Hepatitis. Visit the "Viral Hepatitis Resource Center" at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/resource/index.htm
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April 15, 2004
HBF LAUNCHES ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF) recently launched an electronic newsletter, "B News. . . You Can Use." The newsletter highlights current research and treatment findings, as well as additions to the HBF website. Persons interested in subscribing to this free service can sign up by going to http://www.hepb.org/NewsletterRegistration.aspx

Besides the electronic newsletter, HBF will continue to publish its print newsletter, "B Informed." The Winter 2004 issue is available online at http://www.hepb.org/pdf/hepbnews39.pdf

Archived issues of "B Informed" can be read or downloaded from the HBF website at http://www.hepb.org/02-0107.hepb To receive "B Informed" through the U.S. mail, please send your name and full address to info@hepb.org and HBF will add your name to their confidential mailing list.

The HBF website offers many other resources, including the continually updated "HBF Drug Watch." To access the home page go to: http://www.hepb.org
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April 15, 2004
HFI'S NATIONAL VIRAL HEPATITIS SUMMIT TO BE HELD AUGUST 26-27 IN BALTIMORE, MD

The Third Annual National Viral Hepatitis Summit will be held August 26-27, 2004, in Baltimore, MD. The conference is sponsored by Hepatitis Foundation International (HFI) and is intended for physicians, nurses, psychologists, counselors, outreach workers, patient advocates, and others working with people who are affected by or infected with viral hepatitis.

For information about the agenda and/or registration, go to http://www.hepfi.org/pdfs/registrationsummit.pdf or call (800) 891-0707
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(5 of 9)
April 15, 2004
VA WEB PAGE OFFERS INFORMATION ON STARTING HEPATITIS C SUPPORT GROUPS

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a comprehensive resource titled "Initiating and Maintaining a Hepatitis C Support Group: A How-To Program Guide."

The document is intended to provide clinicians with a guide for initiating and maintaining support groups for veterans with hepatitis C. It serves as a primer for conceptualizing the structure and purpose of the group and as a practical guide for organizing and executing the logistics associated with starting a support group. Most of the information is applicable to non-veteran groups as well.

"Initiating and Maintaining a Hepatitis C Support Group: A How-To Program Guide" can be viewed or downloaded at http://www.hepatitis.va.gov/vahep?page=tp03-03-09-02#S1X

The VA's National Hepatitis C website provides information about viral hepatitis for health care providers inside and outside the VA system, veterans, and the general public: http://www.hepatitis.va.gov
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(6 of 9)
April 15, 2004
2004 LGBTI HEALTH SUMMIT TO BE HELD AUGUST 25-29 IN CAMBRIDGE, MA

The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex (LGBTI) 2004 Health Summit, "Explore, Expand, Explode!" will be held August 25-29, 2004, in Cambridge, MA. Proposals for workshops, activities, panels, and roundtables should be submitted by May 10, 2004.

For more information, go to: http://www.healthsummit2004.org
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(7 of 9)
April 15, 2004
JUNE 1 IS THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR "B INFORMED 2004"

[The following is cross posted from the Immunization Action Coalition's "IAC EXPRESS" electronic newsletter, 4/12/04.]

The Hepatitis B Foundation (HBF), in partnership with the Asian Liver Center, is sponsoring "B Informed 2004: A Gathering of Friends." The conference will be held June 26-27 at the Asian Liver Center in Stanford, CA. There is no registration fee, the cost of lodging at the Stanford Guesthouse is modest, and meals will be provided. The registration deadline is June 1; register early as space is limited.

The conference will focus on the care and treatment of persons living with chronic hepatitis B; it is intended for patients, families, and others concerned about the disease.

Participants need to make their own lodging reservations by visiting the Stanford Guesthouse website at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/SLAC/index.html or calling (650) 926-2800.

To download a registration form, go to: http://www.hepb.org/pdf/B_Informed_Registration.pdf Send the completed form to the Hepatitis B Foundation by fax at (215) 489-4920 or by mail at 700 East Butler Ave., Doylestown, PA 18901.

For additional information, email HBF at info@hepb.org or call (215) 489-4900.
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(8 of 9)
April 15, 2004
IAC'S HEPATITIS PREVENTION PROGRAMS WEBSITE ADDS FOUR NEW PROGRAMS

IAC's Hepatitis Prevention Programs website has added four new programs, bringing the total to 94. The new programs featured are

California HCV Demonstration Project
http://www.hepprograms.org/drug/drug12.asp

County Jail Hepatitis Vaccination Pilot, New York State Department of Health
http://www.hepprograms.org/adult/adult12.asp

Fort Wayne/Allen County HIV/STD Prevention Program
http://www.hepprograms.org/std/std14.asp

Hepatitis B Prevention Project, Asian Pacific Health Center
http://www.hepprograms.org/apia/apia9.asp

The www.hepprograms.org website also includes journal articles, recommendations, organizations, and resources for health professionals and patients/clients. We are always looking for new programs, support groups, and resources to add to the site! If you have program information you would like to share with your colleagues, go to the "Tell us about your program" page at http://www.hepprograms.org/tellus.htm
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(9 of 9)
April 15, 2004
JOURNAL ARTICLES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

The following is a selection of recently published journal articles related to viral hepatitis.

"Hepatitis B Virus Epidemiology, Disease Burden, Treatment, and Current and Emerging Prevention and Control Measures"
Author: Lavanchy D
Source: Journal of Viral Hepatitis, March 2004, Vol. 11(2):97-107
Click here for abstract

"Global Burden of Disease (GBD) for Hepatitis C"
Authors: The Global Burden of Hepatitis C Working Group
Source: Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, January 2004, Vol. 44(1):20-29
Click here for abstract

"A Post-Licensure Evaluation of the Safety of Inactivated Hepatitis A Vaccine (VAQTA((R)), Merck) in Children and Adults"
Authors: Black S, Shinefield H, Hansen J, et al.
Source: Vaccine, January 26, 2004, Vol. 22(5-6):766-772
Click here for abstract

"Cost Effectiveness of Hepatitis A/B Vaccine Versus Hepatitis B Vaccine in Public Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics"
Authors: Jacobs RJ, Meyerhoff AS
Source: Sexually Transmitted Diseases, November 2003, Vol. 30(11):859-65
Click here for abstract

"Elimination of Acute Hepatitis B Among Adolescents after One
Decade of an Immunization Program Targeting Grade 6 Students"
Authors: Patrick DM, Bigham M, Ng H, White R, Tweed A, Skowronski DM
Source: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, October 2003, Vol. 22(10):874-7
Click here for abstract