WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 28, 2023, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) and Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) introduced a resolution to designate April 30 as National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day.
The resolution seeks to raise awareness for the hepatitis B vaccination. Despite the availability of safe, effective, and low-cost vaccines, only 30 percent of adults are vaccinated against hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer and can lead to co-infections with hepatitis C, diabetes, and HIV. According to the Hepatitis B Foundation, hep B cases are on the rise. Up to 2.4 million Americans are living with chronic hep B and thousands die of the disease each year.
The resolution comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updating federal guidelines on April 1, 2022, that all adults ages 19 to 59 should be vaccinated against the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
“I’m proud to join my colleague Rep. Grace Meng to reintroduce this resolution to mark April 30th as National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day,” said Rep. Johnson, who is both a champion for hepatitis patients and a survivor of Hepatitis C. “We know how devastating this silent killer is in our communities, and we won’t sit idly by when we have an effective, affordable vaccination. By designating April 30 as National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day, we hope to encourage every citizen to check their vaccination status and get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones from this disease and in the meantime we will all continue to raise the issue of hepatitis viruses within the halls of Congress.”
“Hepatitis B vaccinations are safe and effective, yet only 3 out of every 10 adults are vaccinated,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng, Co-chair of the Congressional Hepatitis Caucus. “Over 2 million individuals in the United States are currently infected with chronic Hepatitis B which risks further health complications as Hepatitis B is one of the leading causes of liver cancer. We need to raise awareness of the vaccine and promote testing so that people can protect themselves and their loved ones. Today on, National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day, I am proud to partner with my colleague Rep. Johnson, Co-chair of the Hepatitis Caucus, to promote and uplift continued work to expand Hepatitis B vaccination efforts.”
“Millions of people in the U.S. are chronically infected with hepatitis B, and only 3 out of 10 adults are vaccinated against this disease, which is why raising awareness is so critical,” said Senator Hirono. “Hepatitis also disproportionately affects Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. As we work to combat Hep-B, I’m glad to reintroduce this year’s National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day resolution to promote testing, raise awareness of vaccines, and reaffirm our support for individuals diagnosed with hepatitis B.”
The resolution has the support of 17 members in the House. Senator Hirono has introduced a Senate companion resolution.
Original source can be found here.
