Management of Hepatitis B: An NIH Consensus
Development Conference

October 20–22, 2008

Natcher Conference Center | NIH campus | Bethesda, Maryland

Registration and additional information: www.consensus.nih.gov

Cost: Free

This activity has been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

Presented by:

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

The Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Educational Provider

Why should I attend?

After weighing the evidence from a systematic literature review, expert presentations, and audience input, an impartial, independent panel will produce a conference statement. Widely distributed to the biomedical community and covered by the news media, the panel’s statement will inform professional and patient decisions and help shape future research efforts on the management of hepatitis B. It is important that all key stakeholders be represented, as attendees will have the opportunity to participate in engaging discussions that will influence the conference statement. This conference is intended for physicians, researchers, and allied health personnel interested in the management of hepatitis B, as well as interested members of the public.

Why hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. In the United States, about 1.25 million people are chronically infected with the virus, resulting in 3,000 to 5,000 deaths each year. However, this disease occurs more frequently in high-risk groups, including Asian Americans, emigrants from areas of the world where hepatitis B is common (China, Korea, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Africa, and Micronesia), men who have sex with men, injection drug users, and recipients of blood and blood products before screening procedures with enhanced security were implemented in 1986.

Since routine hepatitis B vaccination of U.S. children began in 1991, new cases of acute hepatitis B among children and adolescents have dropped by more than 95%—and by 75% across all age groups. A major impediment to diagnosis is that many infected individuals are either asymptomatic or experience only nonspecific symptoms of disease, such as fatigue or muscle ache.

For approximately 90% of adults, acute infection with the hepatitis B virus is resolved by the body’s immune system and does not cause long-term problems. The transition from acute to chronic infection appears to occur when the immune system does not effectively destroy and clear virus-infected cells. The natural history of the disease is not well understood, which makes management of this complex disease challenging.

Many factors can influence treatment decisions, which require indepth analysis of multiple blood tests results. Currently, there are six approved therapeutic agents that are often used in combination. Specific recommendations for hepatitis B therapy, such as which patient groups benefit from therapy and at which point in their disease, are limited by a lack of reliable long-term safety and efficacy information. This is a difficult decision for physicians and patients, as treatments are expensive and may have adverse effects on patients; left untreated, however, chronic hepatitis B can lead to liver failure and other serious liver problems.

What is the scope of the conference?

The key conference questions to be addressed are:

• What is the current burden of hepatitis B?
• What is the natural history of hepatitis B?
• What are the benefits and risks of the current therapeutic options for hepatitis B?
• Which persons with hepatitis B should be treated?
• What measures are appropriate to monitor therapy and assess outcomes?
• What are the greatest needs and opportunities for future research on hepatitis B?

How do I register?

Registration | Visit www.consensus.nih.gov

Can’t attend?

Live and archived videocast | www.videocast.nih.gov

Pre-order conference statement | http://meetinglink.org/OMAR/hepb/statementonly.aspx

Please visit www.consensus.nih.gov for additional conference information, including the conference agenda, expert speakers, logistical information, and to register online. All registrants will automatically receive the final statement in the mail, but if you aren’t able to attend and would still like to receive the conference statement, please visit http://meetinglink.org/OMAR/hepb/statementonly.aspx.The conference is free and open to the public.