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Community Access National Network Launches New Hepatitis Initiative; The "HEPATITIS: Education, Advocacy & Leadership" Project (HEAL) will promote awareness, with a particular focus on HIV and HCV co-infection
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan 25th, 2012) - The Community Access National Network (CANN) today announced that it has launched a new hepatitis initiative designed to raise awareness and promote stakeholder collaboration. The "HEPATITIS: Education, Advocacy & Leadership" Project also known as HEAL. The HEAL project will promote awareness, participate in various hepatitis stakeholder groups to map out strategies on prevention, education, treatment and access to care, with a particular focus on HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection.
HCV infection is the most common chronic blood borne infection in the United States; approximately 3.2 million persons are currently infected. Approximately 15,000 people die every year from HCV-related liver disease. The number of HCV-related deaths per year has outnumbered those dying solely from AIDS.
HCV is a common co-infection in people living with HIV/AIDS. An estimated 200,000-300,000 people in the United States are co-infected with both HIV and HCV infections. Experts believe that about 25% - 30% of Americans living with HIV are also co-infected with HCV; conversely some 10% of people with HCV are thought to also have HIV infection.
Without information, and access to comprehensive medical treatment, patients living with HIV and/or HCV co-infections are likely to progress to complicated liver diseases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, ultimately leading to liver failure and early death. Hepatitis infection is the leading cause of non-AIDS-related deaths among people co-infected with HIV.
"CANN has long been recognized for its commitment to promoting patient access to timely care and treatment, and the HEAL project will educate consumers, community partners, as well as congressional staff here in Washington, D.C. about the fastest growing public health epidemic since AIDS: HCV infection," summarized Bill Arnold, President & CEO of the Community Access National Network. "We have learned many valuable lessons from the HIV/AIDS advocacy community over the last three decades, and CANN will now apply those lessons to ensuring access to effective HCV treatments."
The HEAL Project will also highlight existing awareness initiatives; send out weekly e-mail blasts, and heavily use its social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness. Weekly blogs from guest contributors, and HEAL staff will also be featured.
The HEAL Project is a membership-driven collaborative effort, whereby members will be privy to the latest breaking updates on important newsworthy events on the latest testing, treatment, advocacy and policy-related news. The HEAL Coalition will also host periodic briefings, trainings and meetings.
"The goal of the HEAL project is to put the information in the hands of the patient population, and those making policy decisions on such matters in Washington, D.C, but we cannot accomplish this goal without your advice and counsel," said Kevin Maloney, Deputy Director of the Community Access National Network, who was co-infected with HIV and HCV prior to receiving treatment for his HCV infection.
For more information about the HEAL Project, including how to get involved, please visit http://www.tiicann.org/heal.html, or contact Kevin Maloney at kmaloney@tiicann.org
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About the Community Access National Network: Since it's establishment in 1996 The Community Access National Network (CANN) has worked works to improve access to comprehensive medical services for people living with HIV and Hepatitis C. These services must be affordable to the people who need them regardless of insurance status, income, or geographic location.
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