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Friday, May 8, 2009

Media Advisory: Press Conference "Mother’s Day Call to Action: Get Tested for ‘Silent Killer "

May 8, 2009

Contact:Amanda Felson
415-277-4926 (o), 650-269-3686 (c)


Mother’s Day Call to Action: Get Tested for ‘Silent Killer’
New Study Shows Lack of Hepatitis B Awareness among Bay Area OBs

WHAT:
Details of a new Asian Liver Center study demonstrating a significant lack of hepatitis B knowledge among Bay Area prenatal care doctors will be revealed.

Representatives from San Francisco Hep B Free (www.sfhepbfree.org) will announce free screening events coinciding with Mother’s Day as part of Hepatitis B Awareness Month and provide information about the hepatitis B vaccine.

The Bay Area has the highest proportion of expectant mothers with hepatitis B, yet women who are infected with the virus can protect their children from this silent killer through vaccination. Hepatitis B leads to cirrhosis and failure of the liver, as well as liver cancer. San Francisco has the highest rates of liver cancer in the nation.

WHEN:
Friday, May 8, 2009, 10:00 am

WHO:
Stephanie Chao, Program Officer, Asian Liver Center; General Surgery Resident, Stanford Hospital Clinics
Rachel Shu, Ob/Gyn, Chinese Hospital & CPMC
Sandy Shih Andrada, mother and chronically infected with hepatitis B

Elected officials and community leaders:
Phil Ting, San Francisco Assessor-Recorder
David Chiu, President, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 3
Carmen Chu, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 4
Michela Alioto-Pier, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 2
Sophie Maxwell, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 10
James Fang, BART Board of Directors
Norman Yee, Commissioner, San Francisco Board of Education
Steve Ngo, Trustee, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco
Milton Marks III, Member, Board of Trustees, City College of San Francisco
Catherine Dodd, Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Gavin Newsom
Dr. Edward Chow, San Francisco Health Commissioner
Ted Fang, AsianWeek Foundation, San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign member
Ed Lee, San Francisco Chief Administrative Officer

WHERE:
Steps of City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA

VISUALS:
Interviews with San Francisco Hep B Free spokespersons, physicians, Hep B chronically infected mothers, elected officials, community and healthcare leaders

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ABOUT HBV: Asian and Pacific Islanders (APIs) are disproportionately impacted by Hepatitis B. It is a disease of the liver caused by HBV, a virus often called a “silent killer” because it can cause liver cancer, cirrhosis or liver failure without producing symptoms. San Francisco has the highest liver cancer rate in the nation and 80% of liver cancer in APIs is caused by HBV. But it’s preventable with a simple vaccine.

ABOUT San Francisco Hep B Free: San Francisco Hep B Free is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between city government, private healthcare and community organizations. The program’s goal is to make San Francisco a hepatitis B-free city by (1) creating public and healthcare provider awareness about the importance of testing & vaccinating APIS for hepatitis B; (2) promoting routine HBV screenings and vaccinations within the primary care medical community; and (3) facilitating access to treatment for chronically infected individuals.
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