National Summit on Viral Hepatitis to be Held September 10-11 in Washington, D.C.

National Summit on Viral Hepatitis to be Held September 10-11 in Washington,
D.C.
Politicians, Medical Experts and Community Advocates Will Gather for 2-Day
Conference to Develop Action Plan to Combat Hepatitis B and C in the United
States

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: Chronic viral hepatitis is a leading cause of liver cancer and
cirrhosis that costs the nation's health system hundreds of
millions of dollars each year, yet attracts little public
attention. As many as 2 million people in the United States are
living with chronic hepatitis B and an estimated 3.2 million are
chronically infected with hepatitis C. However, most do not even
know they are infected and miss out on getting early medical care,
putting them at increased risk for developing serious liver
disease.

To address this public health challenge, government, medical and
community experts will meet September 10-11 in Washington, D.C. to
plan an improved national response to viral hepatitis. The
conference "The Dawn of a New Era: Transforming our Domestic
Response to Hepatitis B & C" will feature keynote addresses, panel
discussions and scientific poster sessions focused on enhancing
the prevention and detection of viral hepatitis and improving care
for people who are already living with the disease.

Journalists are encouraged to participate in all aspects of the
summit, and will enjoy unprecedented access to leading experts on
viral hepatitis. A press room will be available.

WHO: Speakers include:

-- John W. Ward, MD, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) Division of Viral Hepatitis
-- Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Chair, Congressional Asian
Pacific American Caucus
-- Congressman Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), Gastroenterologist and
Associate Professor of Medicine, Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center
-- Anna S.F. Lok, MD, Director of Clinical Hepatology, University
of Michigan
-- Eugene R. Schiff, MD, Director, Center for Liver Diseases,
University of Miami School of Medicine
-- Ronald O. Valdiserri, MD, MPH, U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs
-- Jeff Caballero, Executive Director, Association of Asian
Pacific Community Health Organizations

Sponsors and supporters of the summit meeting include the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association's
AGA Institute, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gilead Sciences,
Bristol-Myers Squibb and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

WHEN: September 10-11, 2009
(Opening Keynote Address begins at 8 A.M. on Thursday, September
10)

WHERE: Washington Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Road NW (between 27th St. and Connecticut Ave)
Washington, DC 20008

RSVP: Registration is free for media. To register for the conference,
to schedule interviews or for more information please contact:

Lauren Graham
(212) 584-5015
lgraham@corkerygroup.com

KEY FACTS ABOUT HEPATITIS B AND C:
-- The hepatitis B virus is up to 100 times more infectious than HIV and
causes up to 80 percent of liver cancer cases worldwide, making it
second only to tobacco as a cancer-causing agent in humans.
-- Chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus is the most common reason
for liver transplantation among adults in the United States.
-- More than $1 billion is spent each year on hospitalizations related to
hepatitis B, and hepatitis C is responsible for more than $600 million
annually in medical costs and lost productivity.

-- Public awareness about viral hepatitis is low; too few physicians
conduct routine screening and many patients are not benefiting from
improved treatment options.

SOURCE The Dawn of a New Era: Transforming our Domestic Response to Hepatitis
B & C

Lauren Graham, +1-212-584-5015, lgraham@corkerygroup.com