Programs

 

An urgent need for action to fight chronic hepatitis

Viral hepatitis in the U.S. is simultaneously a glass half full and a glass half empty. On the one hand, thanks to public health efforts, new viral hepatitis infections are at the lowest levels in decades. On the other hand, 5.3 million Americans are infected with chronic, or "lifelong," viral hepatitis, and most of those people don't know they are infected.

A report on hepatitis and liver cancer issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2010 highlighted an overall lack of knowledge about the extent and seriousness of viral hepatitis in the U.S. and issued a clear call to action. The report called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lead several significant research and education programs, yet also noted that, because viral hepatitis is not widely recognized as a serious public health problem, prevention, control and surveillance programs have inadequate resources.

Public-private partnerships boost CDC's capacity, amplify messages

CDC hepatitis experts knew the kinds of programs that needed to be implemented to improve the nation's overall awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis, but without support from outside partners, many of the programs would take years to get off the ground. 

After learning about the programs CDC wanted to develop, the CDC Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Congress to help CDC build public-private partnerships, reached out to organizations in the private sector for help. Many organizations immediately recognized the importance of the programs and agreed to provide financial support through grants to the CDC Foundation. The CDC Foundation launched the Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition to help the growing list of outside partners stay connected with CDC and with one another.

Currently, CDC programs made possible by support from Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition members include:

  • Birth-cohort Evaluation to Advance Screening and Testing for Hepatitis C (BEST-C)
    Evaluating expanding Hepatitis C screening recommendations
    Learn More >
  • National Hepatitis Education Campaign
    Raising awareness about hepatitis and increasing the number of people who are tested for it
    Learn More >
  • Chronic Hepatitis B and C Cohort Study (CHeCS)
    Uncovering the answers to many important questions about chronic viral hepatitis and the best strategies to fight it
    Learn More >
  • Viral Hepatitis Action Coalition Fellowships
    Increasing CDC's capacity to address urgent needs and opportunities in the fight against viral hepatitis
    Learn More >

About CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis

CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) is part of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. In collaboration with domestic and global partners, DVH provides the scientific and programmatic foundation and leadership for the prevention and control of hepatitis virus infections and their manifestations.

DVH consists of three branches — the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, the Prevention Branch, and the Laboratory Branch — that work collaboratively to prevent viral hepatitis infections and associated liver disease. Learn More