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Vision:
The National Task Force on Hepatitis B for Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) brings together scientists, health professionals, not-for-profit organizations, and concerned citizens in a concerted effort to eliminate hepatitis B-related mortality and morbidity over the next generation.  

Mission:
Our mission is to support national, state, and local efforts to prevent new hepatitis B infections through vaccination, to identify chronically infected individuals, and to offer appropriate treatment and cancer screening.   Our mission will be achieved by coordinating national, state, and local efforts to attain these four goals:  

  • Increase awareness and knowledge about hepatitis B among API
  • Achieve universal vaccination of all API children birth to 18, as well as susceptible adults
  • Identify individuals with chronic infection through Hepatitis B screening of API adolescents and adults
  • Provide appropriate treatment and screening for hepatocellular carcinoma among chronically-infected individuals  

Our strategic plan will include Advocacy, Education, Outreach, and Research:

ADVOCATE at the government level to legislate mandatory HBV vaccination for all school-aged children, to make available free vaccination for all children birth to 18 and at-risk groups, to develop official recommendations regarding the correct screening protocol for hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma, to provide financial support for HBV screening, hepatocellular carcinoma screening, and antiviral therapy for individuals who cannot otherwise afford care, as well as to national programs promoting similar efforts.

EDUCATE at the provider and community levels to promote awareness about the high prevalence of HBV among API, the availability of the Vaccine for Children program for hepatitis B vaccines, the availability of safe and effective treatment, and the importance of screening for liver cancer among chronically-infected individuals.

IMPLEMENT screening programs and vaccination programs in areas around the United States with large API populations in community venues including cultural clubs, health fairs, schools, and churches.  

RESEARCH to identify epidemiologic and demographic factors associated with low vaccination rates and high hepatitis B chronic infection rates, as well as disparities in treatment and cancer screening practices.

Officers:
Chairman: Sam So, MD

Coordinators: Janelle Tangonan Anderson and Thoa Nguyen

Treasurer: Chari Cohen

Regional Director Northeast: Betty Lam and Henry Pollack and Christie Hershey and Haeok Lee

Regional Director Southeast:  Jennifer Bourgeois

Regional Director North Midwest: Hong Liu

Regional Director South Midwest: Gary Euler and Son Do

Regional Director Mountain area

Regional Director Northwest: Kim Nguyen

Regional Director Southwest: Ton Tran and Wendy Berger

Past Chairmen:
Christopher Jenkins
Chau Buu
Anthony Chen
William Chen
Eric Poon
Son Do, MD

Member Organizations:

Asian American Hepatitis B Program New York, NY
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) Oakland, CA
American Liver Foundation  

Asian Health Coalition of Illinois

Illinois

Asian Liver Center

Stanford University , California

Asian Pacific Health Center

San Diego , CA

Asian Pacific Liver Center of St. Vincent Medical Center

Los Angeles, CA

B Free CEED Center

New York

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Immunization Program

Georgia

The Center for the Study of Asian American Health New York, NY

Digestive Health Associates of Texas

Texas

Free Hepatitis Info New York

Harborview Medical Center , University of Washington

Washington

Hepatitis B Foundation

Pennsylvania

Hepatitis B Initiative

Boston, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Hepatitis Foundation International

Maryland

Houston International Health Foundation

Texas

Immunization Action Coalition

Minnesota

Immunization Coalition of Los Angeles County

Los Angeles, California

Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board,

Sacramento , California

Massachusetts Department of. Public Health

Massachusetts, Boston

National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable  
San Francisco Hep B Free California

UC Davis

California

UC Davis Cancer Center

California

UCLA

California

University of Florida

Florida

Vietnamese Community Health Promotion Project

California

Visionary Health Concepts New York
Hepatitis B Coalition of WA Washington
   

For a history of past Task Force Officers, click here.

For facts about the Task Force, click here.

For accomplishments of the Task Force, click here.