The HHS Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis

In response to the IOM report released last year, Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh created a workgroup made up of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) experts and charged them with developing a comprehensive strategic plan for viral hepatitis prevention and control. The resulting action plan is entitled, Combating the Silent Epidemic: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis [PDF - 84 pages], and was released on May 12, 2011.

The Action Plan covers six broad topics:

• Educating Providers and Communities to Reduce Health Disparities
• Improving Testing, Care, and Treatment to Prevent Liver Disease and Cancer
• Strengthening Surveillance for Viral Hepatitis
• Eliminating Transmission of Vaccine-Preventable Viral Hepatitis
• Reducing Viral Hepatitis Cases Caused by Drug-Use Behaviors
• Protecting Patients and Workers from Health-Care Associated Viral Hepatitis

 

The Action Plan will help HHS improve its current efforts to prevent viral hepatitis and related disease. CDC is taking the lead on many of the actions and partnering with other HHS agencies on others. Even as the Viral Hepatitis Action Plan is being unveiled and implemented, CDC is taking action to prevent and control these infections. With early detection, many people can get lifesaving care and treatment that can limit disease progression, prevent cancer deaths, and help break the cycle of unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.

More Information

• Dear Colleague Letter from Dr. Ward – HHS Action Plan Update [PDF - 5 pages]
• HHS Initiatives: Viral Hepatitis Action Plan
• Briefing for the plan's announcement on May 12, 2011 (video archive)
• Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care and Treatment of Viral Hepatitis [PDF - 84 pages]