Robert G Gish Consultants

05/05/2026

The World Health Organization has released its Global Hepatitis Report 2026—and the message is clear: progress is real, but we are still off track to meet 2030 elimination goals.

📊 Key takeaways:
• Viral hepatitis still causes ~1.3 million deaths annually worldwide
• ~240 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B and ~47 million with hepatitis C
• New hepatitis B infections are down 32%, and hepatitis C deaths have dropped 12% since 2015
• Yet treatment gaps remain stark—

The Global hepatitis report 2026 warns that viral hepatitis remains a leading global health problem, despite the availability of a highly effective hepatitis B vaccine since the 1990s, effective antiviral treatments for chronic hepatitis B infection and, since 2015, a 12-week antiviral treatment for...

04/29/2026

New data on hepatitis D virus (HDV) prevalence in the U.S. continues to refine our understanding of this underdiagnosed infection. A recent study in Clinical Infectious Diseases journal reports HDV seroprevalence of ~1.26% among HBsAg+ individuals in NHANES samples —highlighting both progress in measurement and ongoing gaps in detection.

I believe that the true prevalence of HDV infection in the US is probably in the 2–3% range of HBsAg+ patients, with total PCR+ patients in the US likely fewer than 70,000

As testing strategies evolve, improving awareness and access to HDV screening remains critical to identifying patients earlier and improving outcomes

🔗 Read the article: https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/cid/ciag274/8662345?utm_source=authortollfreelink&utm_campaign=cid&utm_medium=email

Abstract. To validate the accuracy of previously published US seroprevalence estimates for hepatitis D virus (HDV) antibody, we retested National Health an

04/28/2026

I am excited to be presenting at an upcoming Medscape LIVE CME program during Digestive Disease Week in Chicago this Saturday, May 3!

Join me and an outstanding panel of colleagues as we dive into practical, case-based strategies to improve care for patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

💭 PBC isn’t just about numbers—it’s about quality of life
🔬 Understand when to escalate beyond first-line therapy
📌 Identify high-risk patients earlier
🧩 Integrate emerging therapies to improve real-world outcomes

🗓 Don’t miss this opportunity to stay current, earn CME credit, and engage in meaningful discussion with peers

✨ Access 🔗https://mdsc.pe/4szBBSe

Looking forward to seeing you there!

04/27/2026

It was great to see such an inspiring group of experts coming together at in Istanbul last week!

I was joined by fellow leaders in liver disease to share insights, advance collaboration, and push the field forward. Exciting progress ahead! 🌍✨

04/24/2026

🌍 Share your research at !

The 9th Conference on Liver Disease in Africa (COLDA 2026) is now accepting abstracts—and this is your opportunity to contribute to advancing liver health across the globe.

We’re inviting submissions on a wide range of topics, including:
🔬 Hepatitis B (HBV)
🧬 Hepatitis C (HCV)
🧪 Diagnostics & innovative tools
🤝 Co-infections and more

👉 View the program and submit your abstract here: https://bit.ly/4imGRVX

🗓 Abstract deadline: June 19, 2026

Join leading experts, showcase your work, and be part of the conversation driving progress in liver disease research and care.

04/17/2026

An important article to read:
"Shared principles within HBV guidelines: aligning clinical approach with differentiated care for global elimination"

➡️ https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(26)00050-6/abstract

I really like the word "Yes"

✔️ Yes to treating all
✔️ Treat all HBV DNA+
✔️ If HBV DNA PCR is not available, treat all HBsAg+

This is the kind of mindset shift that can truly move the needle toward elimination

The next step is clear - Let's work on treatment access!

Global hepatitis B treatment efforts are at a turning point. Major treatment guidelines have been updated in the past few years, including from the Chinese Society of Hepatology and Chinese Society of Infectious Diseases in 2022,1 WHO in 2024,2 and the European Association for the Study of the Liver...

04/14/2026

🚨 Exciting Opportunity: Join the 1st Asia-Pacific Workshop on HBV Cure 2026 — a groundbreaking event bringing together leading experts dedicated to advancing the future of hepatitis B cure research.

📍 Seoul, South Korea
📅 June 10, 2026
💥 Save 20% with promo code: HBVCUREEND25

This first-of-its-kind regional workshop will serve as a collaborative platform to:
✨ Share the latest breakthroughs in HBV cure research
✨ Explore emerging therapies and clinical strategies
✨ Address key barriers to achieving a functional cure
✨ Foster meaningful collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region

👩‍⚕️🧑‍🔬 Prof. Young-Suk Lim, Prof. Man-Fung Yuen and Dr. John Ward have organized a stellar program along with Academic Medical Education and Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination

🔗 Learn more and register: https://academicmedicaleducation.com/programs/1st-asia-pacific-workshop-on-hbv-cure-2026

04/10/2026

🎧 I’m excited to share this recent webinar I participated in:
"Liver Lineup – Navigating Genetic Testing in Cholestatic Liver Disease"

In this discussion, we break down how genetic testing is transforming the way we diagnose and manage cholestatic liver disease. I share practical perspectives on when to order testing and how to interpret complex results in real-world clinical settings.

Genetic panels are becoming an increasingly important part of care—helping guide diagnosis, risk stratification, and even treatment decisions.

Take a listen here 👇
https://www.hcplive.com/view/liver-lineup-navigating-genetic-testing-in-cholestatic-liver-disease

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Experts discuss when to use genetic testing in cholestatic disease, how to interpret results, and its growing role in diagnosis and management.

03/31/2026

We’d love your input! 💬

If you have a few minutes, please take this quick survey to help the Hepatitis B Foundation better understand experiences and improve care for those affected by chronic hepatitis B. Your feedback is incredibly valuable and will help guide future efforts.

👉 https://hepbcx.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zWS8bCFp8LbG2q

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective and make a difference! 💙

03/12/2026

✅Article share!
This is a great review on HCC surveillance (note they did not use the term screening!)

In addition, from the article:
“The combination of GALAD + ultrasound provides the highest diagnostic accuracy and may represent the optimal surveillance strategy where resources permit”

This is also, in my opinion, the best practice and what I do in my practice🩺

➡️Read more here:

03/11/2026

Excited to share my newest article on Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and the core concepts that can truly change outcomes for patients

Take a look at the article here:
https://becarispublishing.com/doi/10.57264/cer-2025-0110

In clinical practice, a few key principles can make all the difference:

✔️ Early diagnosis
✔️ Correct staging of disease
✔️ Early intervention
✔️ Full-dose ursodeoxycholic acid (URSO/UDCA), ideally with simplified once-daily dosing
✔️ Timely second-line therapy for patients with F2, F3, and early F4 fibrosis
✔️ The importance of achieving a normal alkaline phosphatase (Alk Phos)

Early treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid remains the cornerstone of PBC therapy and can delay disease progression and improve long-term outcomes when started promptly. Normalization of alkaline phosphatase is also associated with better long-term outcomes in patients with PBC.

I’d love to hear how others are approaching PBC diagnosis, staging, and treatment optimization in practice

Aim: Complications of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are proposed to confer substantial economic burden to patients and healthcare systems. This retrospective observational study evaluated the cost of PBC-related hepatic decompensation and liver ... Plain language summary: Cost of liver dysfuncti...