Robert G Gish Consultants

08/20/2025

🔜Join me on September 16 for this upcoming AASLD webinar! 🩺

Register for “Mother-To-Child Transmission of HBV” online now at https://www.aasld.org/webinar-mother-child-transmission-hbv

08/18/2025

An important read:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(25)00163-3/fulltext

We have learned from past experience: that when patients “don't meet guidelines” for treatment, the dropout rate from follow-up care is huge!

Also, specialty care is limited globally so:

Why do we propose to treat all patient with HBV who are HBV DNA+?
• HBV DNA+ correlates with risk:
– (risk of HCC, cirrhosis, LT and death)
Treatment decrease risk: 70% less HCC
90%+ decrease risk of cirrhosis and liver transplant
• Decrease Risk of Transmission U=U
– treatment to prevent infection
• Reduce Stigma
• Improve QOL
• Reduce HBV related extrahepatic disease
• Decrease other HBV related cancers (bile duct cancer is an example)
• Reduce Discrimination
• Partner with Patients who request treatment
• Meet WHO guidelines
• Keep HBV patients in care

Considerable attrition was seen across the chronic hepatitis B care cascade, with low rates of retention especially in patients not on antiviral therapy. Assessment for treatment eligibility and initiation of antiviral therapy were lower in primary versus hospital-based specialist care models. Chron...

08/08/2025

Hepatitis D Reclassified as Carcinogenic, According to WHO – Pharmacy Times
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/hepatitis-d-reclassified-as-carcinogenic-according-to-who
"The WHO’s announcement stems from the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) reclassification of hepatitis D as carcinogenic, supported by data from a study published in The Lancet Oncology. All types of hepatitis are associated with acute liver infection; however, only hepatitis B, C, and D can lead to chronic infections with a higher risk of liver cirrhosis, failure, or cancer. According to the authors of the study’s findings, hepatitis D is associated with a 2- to 6-fold higher risk of liver cancer compared with hepatitis B."

WHO reclassifies hepatitis D as carcinogenic, urging global action to combat viral hepatitis and reduce liver cancer risk.

07/28/2025

🌍 Today is the day — World Hepatitis Day! 💉💪

Hepatitis B doesn’t just affect the liver — it can lead to liver cancer if left untreated. But there's something simple we can all do: get vaccinated. 🛡️

📢 Let's break it down:
✅ Hepatitis B is preventable.
✅ The vaccine is safe and effective.
✅ It also protects against liver cancer.

Spread the word, protect yourself, protect your community.
👉 Learn more: worldhepatitisday.org

07/25/2025

🩺More articles that support our goal of hepatitis elimination!👏

Why do we propose to treat all patient with HBV who are HBV DNA+?
• HBV DNA+ correlates with risk:
– (risk of HCC, cirrhosis, LT and death)
Treatment decrease risk: 70% less HCC
90%+ decrease risk of cirrhosis and liver transplant

• Decrease Risk of Transmission U=U
– treatment to prevent infection
• Reduce Stigma
• Improve QOL
• Reduce HBV related extrahepatic disease
• Decrease other HBV related cancers (bile duct cancer is an example)
• Reduce Discrimination
• Partner with Patients who request treatment
• Help with WHO elimination goals

Read both important articles at the links below👇

Scientific and medical evidence informing expansion of hepatitis B treatment guidelines https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(25)00053-6/fulltext

Patient and public health perspectives to inform expansion of hepatitis B treatment guidelines https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1lUF78nByrGVzC

Chronic hepatitis B treatment relies on nucleoside or nucleotide analogue drugs that suppress hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, normalise liver enzymes, and slow disease progression with excellent safety profiles. Treatment is not curative, and patients remain at risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellu...

07/21/2025

The Congressional Hepatitis Caucus, co-chaired by Nydia Velazquez and Congressman Hank Johnson is introducing a resolution recognizing July 28, 2025 as World Hepatitis Day 👏World Hepatitis Day is commemorated each year by the World Health Organization (WHO) and by governments, organizations, and advocates in countries all over the world.

This year, please join the Hepatitis B Foundation in being an endorsing organization to the resolution! Use the link below to review and sign on to the resolution by COB on Thursday, July 24

The need for federal attention and serious investments to combat viral hepatitis is greater than ever‼️

• Worldwide, nearly 300 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B infection, including an estimated 2.4 million in the U.S.
• U.S. financial support for global viral hepatitis initiatives, including hepatitis B vaccination, has been drastically reduced, or halted altogether.
• Despite decades of safety data and the successful reduction of childhood hepatitis B rates by more than 95% in the U.S., the universal hepatitis B birth dose recommendation is being threatened.
• Access to viral hepatitis treatments, including the curative treatment for hepatitis C, is still limited.
• Hepatitis B remains one of the leading causes of primary liver cancer.

🖊Sign on here!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAJThuf7CPVvt6nVCNTCO4ODSgGxmtHGMplQp1hrc9nVnEVw/viewform

The Congressional Hepatitis Caucus, led by Reps. Nydia Velazquez and Hank Johnson, is preparing a resolution recognizing World Hepatitis Day (July 28). To become an endorsing organization for the resolution, please fill out the form below on behalf of your organization. (Note: We are only collecting...

07/18/2025

📢 Fascinating manuscript on Nuc management in chronic HBV just published!

Our new article dives into important questions about stopping vs. continuing nucleos(t)ide analogues in people with chronic hepatitis B. As we strive toward functional cure and long-term outcomes, the insights here are essential reading for clinicians and researchers alike.

🔗 Read the full article here
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvh.70055

Viral hepatitis caused by hepatitis B virus accounts for a significant disease burden. Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are the standard of care for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection; however, treatme...

07/15/2025

ABC News: RFK Jr., CDC panel have been casting doubt on the hepatitis B vaccine. Here's why it's safe

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/rfk-jr-cdc-panel-casting-doubt-hepatitis-vaccine/story?id=123423585

In 1991, when the ACIP recommended universal vaccination for hepatitis B among infants to decrease transmission, there were 18,000 cases of hepatitis B in those under 10 years old in the U.S., according to the CDC. Since then, cases have dramatically decreased. CDC data shows that in 2022, the rate of cases among those ages 19 was less than 0.1 per 100,000.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC vaccine panel have been casting doubt on the hepatitis B shot and the practice of vaccinating newborns.

07/09/2025

📢 Important Read: A Call to Reclassify Delta Hepatitis as an Orphan Disease 🦠

Delta hepatitis (HDV) is one of the most severe forms of viral hepatitis, yet it remains largely overlooked—underdiagnosed, underfunded, and underprioritized. Our powerful article in Hepatology Communications makes the case for reclassifying HDV as an orphan disease, a critical step that could unlock much-needed research funding, increase awareness, and improve access to care for affected communities.

A huge thank you to the entire team that collaborated to publish this article!

🔍 Key points:

HDV affects an estimated 12 million people worldwide.

It disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations and has limited treatment options.

Reclassification would support drug development incentives and global public health efforts.

We can’t address what we don’t acknowledge—and this piece is a wake-up call for the liver health community, policy makers, and advocates alike. 📣

📰 Read the article here:
https://journals.lww.com/hepcomm/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2025&issue=07010&article=00007&type=Fulltext

An abstract is unavailable.

06/30/2025

🎉 Calling all hepatitis B and D researchers! 🎉

Submissions are now open for the 2025 HepBCommunity.org Research Showcase!

This is your chance to share your work with a global audience, connect with the hepatitis-affected community, and compete for $250 USD gift cards! All types of research are welcome - basic, clinical, public health, social science, psychology, and more. Creative formats encouraged: text, images, gifs, memes, and videos!

🧠 The goal? Bridge the gap between science and community by making research accessible, exciting, and conversation-worthy. Top posts will be chosen by community likes, with special awards for engaging threads and curious questions.

🗓️ Timeline:

July: Submissions open

August 1: Thread deadline

August 9: Winners announced at the International HBV Meeting in Berlin

September: Research Showcase video released

👉 Learn more and submit your thread at: https://www.hepbcommunity.org

Let’s elevate research together! 💛 Hepatitis B Foundation

Supporting people with Hep B

06/24/2025

🌺 This past weekend, the American Pacific Health Foundation gathered for our bi-annual meeting — a time to reflect on progress, align on our mission, and plan the work ahead. We’re proud of the incredible collaborations and community-driven initiatives taking shape in our community

To top it off, we celebrated with our annual summer party — full of laughter, good food, and even better company! Huge thanks to everyone who joined us and continues to support our shared vision of healthier communities 🌴☀️

Here’s to the work ahead — and the moments of joy that keep us grounded. 💙

06/23/2025

📄New article alert!
A great collaboration with our education team in Las Vegas!

Read more here👇

Background and Aims: Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) is a common cause of hospitalizations, with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) being the mainstay treatment. However, there is a lack of high-level evidence to show if adjunctive medical therapy (somatostatin and its analogs) can....