Dear Thomas
thank you very much for your feedback really appreciated .Its great community such a powerful support for all of us.
Thank you all for the response.
Regards Askul
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Hi Joan and Everyone,
I agree. Automatic testing and vaccination need to be US policy! Now that I, at 52, have been diagnosed as having chronic Hep B about a month ago (donating blood was the starting point), I am stunned, angry, and disappointed that we do not have universal vaccination and are not pumping more money into research. What the hell are we thinking in this country?!
So hard to be hopeful! But I guess I am going through the anger phase of healing.
I am just so glad this support network exists.
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Hi @hopefulone, we are all upset that there’s no mandate to require hep b testing AND vaccination. In the U.S., all pregnant women are supposed to be tested for hep b so that if they test positive their newborns receive the first dose of the hep b vaccine and one dose of HBIG within 12 hours of delivery. But this doesn’t always occur, unfortunately. When the CDC required all “baby boomers” to be tested one time for hepatitis C, we at the Hepatitis B Foundation and other advocacy groups wanted hep b testing to be added since it would be so easy to take one blood sample. But of course it wasn’t added, which was very frustrating.
Just so you know, the Hepatitis B Foundation and our advocacy partners were able to persuade two members of Congress to support HBV vaccination! So we’re thanking @RepHankJohnson and @MazieHirono for introducing the resolution to designate April 30th as National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day in the U.S. House and Senate! This is a small step but at least it would add some visibility. Always, Joan
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