What's HepCAPpening?

• October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month! Liver cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and is also one of the few types of cancer that’s on the rise.. This campaign aims to encourage people who are at risk of liver cancer to follow up with their doctors and get proper ongoing screening for it. 
• In a ruling that could clear the way for the first supervised injection site in the nation, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that a Philadelphia nonprofit’s plan for a facility where people could use drugs under medical supervision does not violate U.S. law (From the Philadelphia Inquirer).
  • “The ultimate goal of Safehouse’s proposed operation is to reduce drug use, not facilitate it." - U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh about Safehouse's plans for a safe injection site 
• 6 ABC took a first look at the newly installed mobile, public restrooms and sinks along Kensington Avenue. Funded by the city and manned by Prevention Point, the effort is meant to curb the hepatitis A outbreak in the city. 
• The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau released its bi-annual Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Highlights. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health's "C Ya!" project, which aimed to reduce disparities related to HCV coinfection among people with HIV, was the main project highlighted in the publication!
  • More than 45,000 people who live in Philadelphia have HCV, and more than 3,000 of those people also have HIV. C Ya! supported the development, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive approaches to screening, care, and treatment o people of color who are co-infected with HIV and HCV.
• Follow us on Instagram and on Twitter to see more!
  • Our #HepCAPHepFACTS photo campaign features local HCV champions and allies highlighting what Philly needs to know about hepatitis C. Have an important HCV message you want us to spread or a Hep Hero to highlight? Reach out to hepcap.philly@gmail.com!

• Access to care 
  • Another Gender Gap: Women Slow to Receive HCV Care (Gastroendo News)
  • Urge the Global Fund to proactively support the integration of viral hepatitis with existing HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programs by signing this petition (NoHep)
  • The Hepatitis B Foundation calls for increased resources to address rising acute hepatitis B infections, disparities in Hepatitis B - related death rates, and lagging birth dose rates (hepb.org)
• Harm reduction, drug use & overdose prevention 
  • Tackle the Epidemic, Not the Opioids (Nature)
  • On September 5, the idea of a safe injection site in Philadelphia got its day in federal court. This twitter thread is a live summary of the oral arguments made in the hearing.
• State-level updates 
  • This map outlines where active cases of hepatitis A have been reported in the past 12 months on a scale from 0 to 100 relative to other states (Hepmag.com)
• National updates
  • On September 10, 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 2017 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report. The 65-page report includes national hepatitis data and trends, and provides key information to assess the progress towards achieving hepatitis elimination.
  • FDA approves treatment for adults and children with all genotypes of hepatitis C and compensated cirhosis that shortens duration of treatment to eight weeks (FDA.gov)
  • The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (JDIGO) 2018 Clinical Practice Guideline Update provides 66 recommendations for the diagnosis, evaluation, prevention, and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The update of the 2008 guideline reflects major advances since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). (Renal and Urology News)
  • The United States Preventive Services Task Force has announced their final recommendation and evidence summary for screening for hepatitis B in pregnant women. The agency has maintained an A grade for screening for hepatitis B virus infection at the first prenatal visit.
  • **Providers! Help HealthHCV evaluate national provider needs and help shape a robust suite of education offerings on HCV prevention, care, and treatment.** Take the annual survey on the state of HCV care. 

• Curing Hepatitis C May Reduce Inflammation In People with HIV (InfoHep)
• Elevated fatty liver index as a risk factor for all‐cause mortality in HIV‐HCV co‐infected patients (Hepatology) 
• Indigenous Approach to Healing Influential in Hep C Care (Medscape)
• Hepatitis C Vaccine Disapoints, Another in the Works (Medscape)
• Implementing an HCV Clinic Inside an HIV Clinic: A Model of Care for HCV Micro-Elimination (Open Forum Infectious Diseases)  
• Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus Infection Among Adults US Aged 20-59 Years With A History of Injection Drug Use: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 - 2006 (Clinical Infectious Diseases)   
• Management of Hepatitis B Infected Pregnant Women: A Cross Sectional Study of Obstetricians (BMC)
• Early Initiation of Antiviral Therapy Contributes to a Rapid and Significant Loss of Serum HBsAg In Infantile-Onset Hepatitis B (Journal of Hepatology) 
• Late Diagnosis Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection 2014 - 2016: Continuing Missed Intervention Opportunities (AJMC)
• Barriers and facilitators to hepatitis B vaccination among sex workers in Vancouver, Canada: Implications for integrated HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis services (International Journal of Infectious Diseases)

• *new!* Resource: HRSA HAB just launched the Hepatitis C Prescriber Toolkit, Technical Assistance for Health Care Providers. This new resource provides one-stop, state-specific guidance for providers navigating health coverage requirements for their patients living with hepatitis C.
• *new!* Resource: The CDC released a new tool, HepSim, that is a Hep C State Policy Simulator. It can help policymakers and practitioners make informed decisions regarding hepatitis C policy, strategy, and investments.
• Resource: NASTAD developed and disseminated a comprehensive needs assessment to identify areas of need critical to jurisdiction-specific elimination and strategic planning efforts. The assessment tool explores program strengths, challenges, gaps, and other information critical to grasp and address the unique needs of health department viral hepatitis programs.
• Resource: The CDC released new materials to encourage hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination in gay and bisexual men. These resources include a new website for gay and bisexual men and educational materials. 
• Resource: The Know Hepatitis B Campaign provides free, culturally sensitive materials in over 10 languages. Find more on their website.
• Resource: This Special Edition Health Bulletin from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health outlines what hepatitis A is, and what to do if exposed to the virus. This a great tool for those who want to learn about hepatitis A, but have no background knowledge of the virus.  
• Resource: Sharps disposal safety guide from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (pdf)
• Resource: Find out where you can get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B-- use this map to locate the most convenient pharmacy for you