HepBFree SF LogoSF Bridge

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Press Release: "Hepatitis B: The Greatest Healthcare Disparity for Asians"

AsianWeek Publishes First Ever Newspaper Section Devoted to Disease that Affects 1 in 10 APIs

November 01, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO—(U.S. ASIAN WIRE)— Recognizing that hepatitis B is the greatest health disparity for Asian Pacific Islanders in America and around the world, AsianWeek newspaper has dedicated an entire special supplement to hepatitis B awareness, in its Oct. 31 issue.

1 in 10 Asians are chronically infected with Hep B and are 4 times more likely to die from liver cancer compared with the general population. 80% of all liver cancers are caused by the Hep B virus and one person dies every 45 seconds from hepatitis B induced liver cancer. Hepatitis B is not only vaccine preventable, but it also has effective treatments that can slow or prevent liver damage caused by the disease.

“This unique production underscores the importance of ending this deadly disease and the power of the Asian Pacific Islander community to come together and make a difference by working with elected officials, the healthcare industry, pharmaceutical corporations, nonprofit organizations and governmental institutions,” said James Fang, AsianWeek president.

In the supplement, Section Editor Bill Picture gives readers a comprehensive overview about the disease, an update on current research going on, different treatment currently available, where people in San Francisco can go to get tested, the global hepatitis B initiative, and more. Stories can be viewed online at www.asianweek.com.

As the first news organization ever to publish a special Hepatitis B supplement, AsianWeek has consistently shown its commitment to educating the community about the disease, through its weekly S.F. Hep B update, which can be viewed online:
www.asianweek.com/category/news/health/san-francisco-hep-b-update/

The special supplement is presented by Gilead Sciences. Major sponsors also include California Pacific Medical Center, Novartis, and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

“We look forward to partnering with community members to increase disease awareness and expand access to treatment for those patients in need,” said Kevin Young, executive vice president of Commercial Operations at Gilead Sciences.

AsianWeek is also one of the founding members of the S.F. Hep B Free Campaign, a city-wide effort to screen and vaccinate all APIS for hepatitis B.


About AsianWeek and AsianWeek.com
AsianWeek and AsianWeek.com are based in San Francisco, CA. AsianWeek is the largest and most established English language news outlet serving the Asian/Pacific Islander American community. It is the only print media using audited circulation and U.S. Census tract demographics to target this affluent multicultural market.

AsianWeek.com is the number one Asian American website with the most viewership and content. AsianWeek.com includes daily news updates, daily blogs and the most interactive technical capabilities of any APA news site. http://www.asianweek.com

About S.F. Hep B Free
The SF Hep B Free campaign is a citywide initiative to turn San Francisco into the first hepatitis B free city in the nation. This unprecedented 2-year-long campaign seeks to screen, vaccinate and refer to treatment all adult San Francisco Asian and Pacific Islander (API) residents by providing convenient, free or low-cost testing opportunities at partnering health facilities and events, and through an aggressive public awareness and education campaign. http://www.sfhepbfree.org

Contact:
Angela Pang
AsianWeek
Community Editor
apang@asianweek.com
415-321-5894
Contact Us | Copyright 2007-2010. San Francisco Hep B Free Campaign, a project of Community Initiatives, Inc. All Rights Reserved.