Historic ruling now officially recognizes HBV infection as a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What a difference two years make. In 2011 the Hepatitis B Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary and we were ready to rest awhile on our laurels after working so hard. But instead, we rallied for new challenges and now we have a lot to celebrate in 2013!
In March, the U.S. Department of Justice struck down HBV discrimination in a settlement with two New Jersey medical schools that had denied enrollment to students with hepatitis B. The historic ruling now officially recognizes HBV infection as a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act—a huge advocacy success in which the Hepatitis B Foundation played a key role. To fulfill our mission of decreasing the burden of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the U.S., we partnered with AAPCHO to establish Hep B United as a national program to support local coalitions improve screening, vaccination and linkage to care, particularly among high-risk Asian immigrants. In recognition of Hep B United’s momentum, the CDC recently awarded HBF a major grant to build the coalition and its membership, and to serve as an official partner in their Know Hepatitis B national campaign (see In The News). This year we also created CHIPO, the first national coalition to address the heavy burden of hepatitis B among African immigrants, which is an area of tremendous need.
The big news in 2013, however, is the renaming of our research institute in honor of Nobel Laureate Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg, who was a cofounder of the HBF and mentor to many of our scientists and outreach professionals for almost 20 years. Dr. Blumberg believed that a cure was possible in our lifetime, so we are honored to take up the challenge with renewed energy and purpose to fulfill his scientific legacy.
Please give generously to our 2013 Annual Fund!
Your donation helps us continue our valuable research, outreach, and patient advocacy programs. Thank you in advance for your support of our mission to find a cure for hepatitis B and to improve the lives of those affected worldwide. Thank you!
Joan M. Block, RN, BSN
Executive Director and Co-Founder
Hepatitis B Foundation