The Caring Ambassadors Program uses a unique approach in our work to address the elimination of viral hepatitis and specifically hepatitis C.
Our three main methods to combat hepatitis C are to Empower patients and providers to increase their knowledge of hepatitis C to improve access a cure; to Educate systems and communities on how to integrate viral hepatitis services into existing programming; and to Advocate on behalf of patients and communities to create sound policy, funding and messaging. We are honored to serve the community to help eliminate the largest infectious disease outbreak of our time; we promise to be BOLD in our approach to creating paths to health and making hepatitis C history.
Weekly News Update.
Caring Ambassadors Program provides 3 weekly news updates covering Lung Cancer News, Hepatitis C News, and My Choices© Update. Receive them delivered weekly to your inbox.
Weekly News Update
And Then There Was One: HCV Elimination in the Coinfected Population
“The treatment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has evolved considerably in the past 15 years. Second-generation direct-acting antivirals entered the market in late 2014. Today we have well-tolerated, short-course (generally 8-12 weeks), pangenotypic options with greater than 95% efficacy to achieve cure or sustained virologic response (SVR). In the World Health Organization’s (WHO) most recent global health sector strategies for 2022 to 2030, it is estimated that the treatment of HCV worldwide increased 10-fold since 2015.”
Insights from patient who cleared hepatitis C could lead to vaccine
“By studying individuals who spontaneously clear hepatitis C infections, a team of researchers has identified viable vaccine targets for a disease that infects 70 million worldwide with case numbers increasing every year.”
Over 30 years, big fall in HIV among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, but hepatitis C remains high
“Despite less injecting drug use, increased use of harm reduction services, and significant progress in reducing HIV infections, there has been a resurgence of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in recent years in Baltimore, especially among people under the age of 40. This research, tracking changes over the past three decades, was presented by Eshan Patel to the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2024) in Denver.”
State sues El Dorado county over needle exchange bans
“PLACERVILLE, Calif. – As part of an ongoing dispute between some county officials and the Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit that distributes clean needles, Narcan and offers other services, Placerville’s City Council and the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors both recently passed bans on the operation of needle exchange programs. Following on the heels of the latter of the two bans, passed by City Council in late February, the California Department of Public Health filed a lawsuit against the two governing bodies and their elected officials.”
‘Time for Five’ coalition launches global petition targeting medical test maker Cepheid and parent corporation Danaher
“Washington, DC, 22 March 2024 — Ahead of World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) protested alongside other global health activists outside the headquarters of US corporation Danaher, which owns diagnostics maker Cepheid, demanding they drop the price to US$5 for all their ‘GeneXpert’ medical tests that they sell in low- and middle-income countries, for diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), HIV, hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and Ebola. Testing is the first step to getting someone who is sick on the treatment they need and preventing further spread of infectious diseases.”
US centers get $2.1M to help hepatitis patients find doctors
“The Center for Disease Analysis (CDA) Foundation has granted $2.1 million in funding to 14 U.S. organizations to help diagnosed but untreated hepatitis B and C patients find doctors. The funds come from the foundation’s Relink grant program, which is supported by an $8-million grant from Gilead Sciences. Gilead markets several hepatitis therapies. The CDA Foundation plans to distribute three more rounds of Relink grants by 2025.”
My Choices© News Update
Week Ending March 25, 2024
Trees and bushes near highways improve air quality
“Anyone who’s endured rush-hour bumper-to-bumper traffic knows how unpleasant the air can get. Between fumes, dust, and all those exhaust pipes, it’s definitely not a nature lover’s paradise. But what if those trees and bushes lining our highways weren’t just there for decoration? What if they were secretly cleaning the air you breathe? Well, a new study from Georgia State University says they just might be.”
Is It Time to Address the Fiscal Reality of the Cancer Care Model and Consider Alternatives?
“This commentary begins with the poignant words of the great American philosopher Yogi Berra, who is reported to have declared: “You can observe a lot by watching.” So, we note 2 recent items in the medical world that, if interpreted correctly, should send chills down the spines of those considering the possible—and perhaps even likely— financial future of oncology care in the United States.”
‘Winners and losers’: The world of coffee is being reordered by EU laws to stop cutting of forests
“Farmer Le Van Tam tends coffee plants at a coffee farm in Dak Lak province, Vietnam on Feb. 1, 2024. New European Union rules aimed at stopping deforestation are reordering supply chains. An expert said that there are going to be “winners and losers” since these rules require companies to provide detailed evidence showing that the coffee isn’t linked to land where forests had been cleared.”
New method paves the way for clearer dietary guidelines on brain health
“In a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers developed a method to retrospectively harmonize data on the association between dietary patterns and cognitive health from individual studies that vary widely in the methodologies and results.”
New research suggests intermittent fasting increases the risk of dying from heart disease. But the evidence is mixed
“Intermittent fasting has gained popularity in recent years as a dietary approach with potential health benefits. So you might have been surprised to see headlines last week suggesting the practice could increase a person’s risk of death from heart disease.”
‘Forever chemicals’ prompt new, stricter advice for eating fish from Mississippi
“Concerns about pollutants including “forever chemicals” have prompted state health officials to issue new guidelines for eating fish from a stretch of the Mississippi River between St. Paul and Wabasha.”
Ultraprocessed Foods Linked With 32 Types of Health Problems
“Ultraprocessed foods include ready-to-eat meals, snacks, and sugary drinks that contain a long list of ingredients and additives designed to make the food sellable or palatable. Now these foods have been associated with more than 30 health conditions, a review of 45 meta-analyses involving about 9.9 million participants found.”
Eating an avocado every day can add years to your life
“Scientists have discovered a fascinating connection between eating one avocado every day and an overall enhanced diet quality and healthier life. Spearheaded by Associate Professor Kristina Petersen and the esteemed retired Professor Penny Kris-Etherton from Penn State University’s Department of Nutritional Sciences, this study delves into how incorporating a single avocado into one’s daily diet can lead to significant nutritional benefits.”
Chronic diseases do not reduce the benefits of exercise, finds study
“A recent study shows exercise is also beneficial and safe for older people with multiple chronic conditions or risk factors. Exercise can improve physical fitness despite chronic diseases. However, exercise should be started safely and at an intensity appropriate for your starting level.”
Spotlight On: Obesity Matters
“Priti Chawla knows the pain that can come with weight bias and discrimination all too well. Growing up in India, she was often ridiculed for her body size. “I was the chubbiest girl in my class,” she recalls. “My classmates had no filter. I was always the one who was never asked for a dance. The bias and discrimination was both implicit and explicit.”
Medicare Part D to cover cost of Wegovy when used to reduce risks of heart conditions
“Medicare Part D will pay for the antiobesity drug Wegovy (semaglutide) when prescribed to cut risks of heart disease. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week issued guidance that current Medicare Part D and Medicaid coverage rules apply to the drug making headlines for its health effects including weight loss.”
The time is now. 71 million people worldwide are living with chronic Hepatitis C right now. It is the largest chronic infectious disease outbreak of our time…and it’s curable. Talk to your doctor about treatment for your Hepatitis C, and don’t take no for an answer.
MY CHOICES© is a tool to help you recognize and act upon what you can control in your health care journey to achieve optimal healing, regardless of the illness you face. It contains elements of a guide book, health planner, journal, and activity book to help orient you to and plan for the journey ahead.