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Policy makers and patient groups to gather in Glasgow.

Patients, policy-makers and experts from around the world will meet in Glasgow this September to discuss global efforts to tackle viral hepatitis.

The first World Hepatitis Summit will be held at the SECC on 2-4 September. The three day gathering is a World Hepatitis Alliance and World Health Organisation event; hosted by the Scottish Government and supported by Health Protection Scotland and Glasgow Caledonian University. It will be attended by patient groups, Government Ministers and policy-makers and public health experts from around the world.

Today is World Hepatitis Day, which raises awareness of viral hepatitis. The disease is one of the top 10 causes of global death, costing 1.4 million lives every year. There are more than 400 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B and C worldwide.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“Scotland is committed to eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health concern, and the Scottish Government will do what it can to support global efforts to achieve this goal.

“The innovation of new therapies for hepatitis C is a watershed moment for viral hepatitis, but we must not lose focus on the vital issue of prevention of disease. Scotland will continue to invest in prevention initiatives and this must be a central part of any national and international plan.

“World Hepatitis Day raises awareness of the disease and encourages better access to treatment. We need governments across the world to come together to work to ensure effective prevention and treatment strategies are in place. That is why Scotland will be hosting the first World Hepatitis Summit in Glasgow this September. Together with the World Health Organization and the World Hepatitis Alliance we will welcome patients, policy makers, public health experts, global funders and many others to Glasgow to meet and share ideas, and to build momentum in the fight against viral hepatitis.”

Charles Gore, President of the World Hepatitis Alliance said:

“The seventh leading cause of death in the world, the global burden of viral hepatitis is staggering. Advocacy is going to be critical to ensure that we have the resources, both human and financial, to tackle this epidemic. It is therefore crucial that the voice of hepatitis patients is at the forefront of any effective national response and the Summit is a unique opportunity to make this happen.”

Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of the WHO Global Hepatitis Programme said:

“We have seen important progress in science and medicine. We now have the tools to end hepatitis as a public health threat - a vaccine and treatment for hepatitis B and an oral cure for hepatitis C.

“What is now needed is political will, resources, and concrete and decisive action. The summit presents an excellent opportunity to lay the foundation for a global movement towards the elimination of hepatitis B and C.”

Professor David Goldberg of Health Protection Scotland said:

“We are delighted that the inaugural World Hepatitis Summit is being staged in Glasgow. The decision to hold it in Scotland reflects the efforts of so many service providers, including Scottish Government policy makers, and service users in making Scotland’s Hepatitis C Action Plan one which is admired throughout the world for its vision, investment and comprehensiveness.”

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Sharon Hutchison said:

"Glasgow Caledonian University is an international university with a distinct over-arching commitment to the Common Good, working collaboratively to deliver social benefit to the communities we serve. In association with Health Protection Scotland, we have led a broad programme of research on the burden of hepatitis C and interventions to prevent infection and associated disease, which provided the key evidence for the Scottish Government’s Hepatitis C Action Plan.

“As a university that is ranked in the top 20 in the UK for health research at world-leading and internationally excellent standards, we are delighted to be involved in the forthcoming inaugural World Hepatitis Summit to help promote the development of hepatitis action plans in other countries and address the overwhelming global burden of viral hepatitis.”