World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on July 28, in recognition of the birthday of Dr Baruch Blumberg, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed an HBV diagnostic test and vaccine. World Hepatitis Day aims to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, which is the world’s second-deadliest virus and affects over 300 million people worldwide. Although tools to mitigate viral hepatitis are available, World Hepatitis Day serves as a reminder of the need to tackle the financial, social, and systemic barriers that act to curb progress in eliminating viral hepatitis.
The most common strains of viral hepatitis are A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis B has the largest global burden, and if it is left untreated, it could cause serious liver damage, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. According to GlobalData epidemiologists, the seven major markets – comprising the US, 5EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK), and Japan – are expected to reach nearly four million total prevalent cases of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in 2034, exhibiting a 0.04% annual growth rate from 2024-2034.
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The World Health Organization’s (WHO) global hepatitis strategy aims to end hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030 by reducing new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030. Despite this strategy, WHO reported that 1.3 million people died of CHB and chronic hepatitis C in 2022, up from 1.1 million deaths in 2019.
Viral hepatitis is easily preventable, diagnosable, and treatable. According to GlobalData, globally there are 19 marketed vaccines for hepatitis A, 63 marketed vaccines for hepatitis B, and one marketed vaccine for hepatitis E. Additionally, hundreds of therapeutics exist for the treatment of viral hepatitis. Unfortunately, several barriers to eliminating viral hepatitis exist. The majority of individuals living with viral hepatitis are unaware of their diagnosis. Additionally, certain populations such as immigrant communities, homeless individuals, and racial and ethnic minorities experience obstructions in accessing proper healthcare services. Furthermore, lack of awareness and stigma prevent individuals from accessing necessary hepatitis resources.
The theme of World Hepatitis Day 2025 is ‘Let’s Break It Down’. This call to action refers to ‘breaking down’ the financial, social, and systemic barriers that are preventing the elimination of viral hepatitis. Specifically, the goals for World Hepatitis Day 2025 include ending the stigma for people living with hepatitis, increasing awareness for individuals to access necessary hepatitis resources, advocating to provide resources to those most in need, and working together to achieve hepatitis elimination, according to the World Hepatitis Alliance.
Key opinion leaders (KOLs) interviewed by GlobalData agree that numerous barriers are preventing the elimination of viral hepatitis B. Specifically, KOLs consider the biggest unmet needs affecting CHB patients to be low diagnosis and treatment rates; inadequate access to vaccinations, screening, and treatment; and lack of curative therapies, although several of these are currently in development. One such product is GSK’s bepirovirsen, an antisense oligonucleotide injection in Phase III development globally, which could eventually be offered as a functional cure for CHB.
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By GlobalDataAlthough challenging, hepatitis elimination is very possible, especially with a collaborative approach and the removal of stigma and barriers.
