Newly Formed Veterans Council of the American Liver Foundation Urges U.S. Veterans to Test for Hepatitis C.


June 23, 2000

The American Liver Foundation's (ALF) newly formed Veteran's Council on Hepatitis C and Liver Disease is urging veterans nationwide to get tested for hepatitis C -- a potentially life-threatening illness that is four to five times more prevalent among veterans than it is among the general public. The Veterans Council also is making free in-home hepatitis C test kits available to all U.S. veterans from Monday, July 3, through Sunday, July 9.

This important testing opportunity for veterans is the first program of ALF's Veterans Council, which held its inaugural meeting last week in Washington, DC. Several veterans service organizations (VSOs), experts in the field of hepatitis C, and health professionals from within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) make up the Council. The free test kits will be made available to veterans via the internet and through a toll-free help line.

"Initiatives such as this free test program are vital for identifying and treating those who served our country and are infected with this disease," said Representative Vic Snyder (D-AR), who serves on the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs committees, as well as the Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee, when he addressed members of ALF's Veterans Council last week. "I urge veterans to participate in this important program and applaud the American Liver Foundation's Veterans Council for making this program available when there is such great need."

Study Shows Increased Prevalence of Hepatitis C Among Veterans


A study conducted by the VHA, and involving 26,000 veterans, shows that eight to 10 percent of all veterans in the VHA system tested positive for hepatitis C. In this study, veterans who served in Vietnam accounted for more than 60 percent of those with positive test results.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by infected blood and many ways of getting infected have been identified. Combat and even military training often bring soldiers into contact with blood. Exposure to bleeding wounds or transfusions are other ways that soldiers can become infected. The injection of drugs and sexual contact with multiple partners are other risks. Tattoos applied with unsterile equipment and snorting drugs may also be risk factors.

"I've lived with hepatitis C for many years and am struck by the growing number of men I know who served in Vietnam and who are now also fighting this disease," said Jerry Kahn, a Vietnam veteran who underwent surgery and blood transfusions after being wounded in battle. "It's so important that veterans realize the higher incidence of hepatitis C among our ranks, and that they take steps to get tested and get the treatment that can help save their lives."

The American Legion, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Vietnam Veterans of America are co-sponsoring this testing program with the American Liver Foundation, and these organizations are also members of ALF's Veterans Council.

Free Hepatitis C Test Kits Available Via the Internet and Toll-Free Help Line

According to the American Liver Foundation, veterans should speak to their physician about getting tested, or they can obtain a free, FDA-approved at-home hepatitis C test kit by visiting www.liverfoundation.org, or by calling 1-888-888-HEPC from Monday, July 3, through Sunday, July 9. (Veterans receiving a free test kit, valued at about $70.00, will be required to pay only a shipping and handling fee of $6.00.) The testing and test results are completely confidential.

When visiting the website, veterans can take a simple quiz to determine their hepatitis C risk and, if they are at risk, receive the free and easy to use at-home test kit. The same process occurs when veterans call the toll-free number, which is staffed by professional counselors who can provide additional information about hepatitis C, the locations of local VHA facilities, or the names of local physicians who are expert in the management of the disease.

"Hepatitis C is frequently a disease without symptoms and it can go undetected for 20 or even 30 years," explained John Vierling, MD, ALF Board Chair and Chair of the newly formed ALF Veterans Council. "Often, the disease is not diagnosed until serious liver damage has already occurred. That's why the work of the Veterans Council is so important. We need to get the word out to veterans so that they can benefit from testing and access to effective treatments."

Hepatitis C: A Pressing Public Health Concern

Hepatitis C is a potentially life-threatening disease. Left unchecked, it can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of liver) and liver cancer. It is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the U.S. Each year, up to 10,000 people in this country die due to hepatitis C, and the annual number of HCV-related deaths could triple in the next 10 years. An estimated 4 million people in this country have been exposed to HCV.

The free, at-home test kits being provided in conjunction with this veterans program are being supplied by Home Access Health Corporation, manufacturers of the only FDA-approved, at-home test for hepatitis C. With this easy to use test, a person collects a small blood sample in the privacy of their home and then mails it to a certified blood-testing laboratory. Using a personal identification number that guarantees confidentiality, the person can then call a toll-free number to learn their test results within five to 10 days.

The American Liver Foundation is a leading national voluntary health agency dedicated to the improved understanding and care of viral hepatitis and other forms of liver disease through research and education.

The American Liver Foundation's Veterans and Hepatitis C Program is supported by an educational grant from Hoffmann-LaRoche, Inc.

SOURCE American Liver Foundation

CONTACT: Etta Jenkins, 888-4HEP-USA, ext. 146; or Lisa Fullam, 480-585-6950, both for the American Liver Foundation

Web site: http://www.liverfoundation.org