Hepatitis C

Project Inform’s Health Care Advocacy Program
Adds Hepatitis C to Agenda

June 21, 2007

The numbers are staggering. More than 6 million American live with chronic hepatitis C and/or hepatitis B. Most Americans living with hepatitis C are unaware of their infection. In addition, an estimated 225,000 people with hepatitis C are co-infected with HIV.

Despite these statistics, the federal government has shown little leadership in the fight against hepatitis. Despite numerous requests from advocates and health officials, President Bush has failed to officially recognize May as “National Hepatitis Awareness Month.” In addition, funding for viral hepatitis testing and education programs has remained flat for several years, and legislation to establish a comprehensive plan to address the epidemic has stalled.

Because so many people with HIV/AIDS are coinfected with hepatitis C and/or B, Project Inform recently expanded our health care policy agenda to include federal hepatitis advocacy. This expansion also furthers our commitment to partner with other disease advocates. We have recently joined the Hepatitis C Appropriations Partnership (HCAP), a national coalition of hepatitis and HIV advocates, state hepatitis directors, and pharmaceutical representatives. This coalition focuses on increased hepatitis funding and the “Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act”, a bill that would establish a comprehensive federal hepatitis C research and prevention program.

We are working with other HCAP members to help build a national hepatitis grassroots network that will facilitate people making their voice heard on these issues. We know from years of HIV/AIDS grassroots organizing that government takes action when those most affected communicate with their own elected representatives through phone calls, letters, emails, and legislative visits. We hope to build a strong and vibrant network that will provide a common voice across the country on the need for adequate funding and legislation to combat hepatitis, while allowing advocates to share information and strategies with one another about state-level campaigns.

Project Inform has already begun sending Action Alerts and policy updates about federal hepatitis issues to members of PI Action, our national grassroots network. We will also encourage PI Action members to become involved with the new hepatitis network as it develops. If you are interested in being a part of this effort, please join PI Action.