Press Release (October 12, 2001):
NEW YORK, NY – The American Liver Foundation
(ALF) Veterans Hepatitis C Liver Disease Council will be
sponsoring a new round of hepatitis C testing for U.S. Veterans.
During the campaign, which is being held from November 1 to
November 30, 2001, hepatitis C virus home test kits will be made
available to veterans. The ALF Veterans Hepatitis C Liver
Disease Council, which includes members of the American Legion,
AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Vietnam Veterans of America, and the National Veterans Affairs
Council/American Federation of Government Employees, held two
similar initiatives during 2000. More than 6,000 veterans
contacted the ALF and, of the tests that were returned, 7%
tested positive for hepatitis C.
The test is being offered for $29.00 including shipping and
handling, a cost that is half off the usual price. Veterans may
call 1-888-888-HEPC or visit the ALF website,
www.liverfoundation.org, to assess their risk for hepatitis C
and order the home test kit. The testing and test results are
completely confidential.
The November testing initiative was organized in response to the
2001 United States General Accounting Office (GAO) Report on
Veterans’ Health Care. The GAO found that there were missed
opportunities to screen as many as 3 million veterans,
potentially leaving as many as 200,000 veterans unaware that
they have hepatitis C.
Thomas H. Corey, the National President of the Vietnam Veterans
of America, states, "until such time as hepatitis C
screening becomes the norm within the VA, I urge all veterans
who served prior to 1992 to take advantage of this test. You
will not only be protecting your health, but that of your family
as well."
According to the Veterans Health Administration, a study
involving 26,000 veterans showed that 8 to 10 percent of all
veterans in the VHA system tested positive for hepatitis C. The
greatest percentage of those veterans, more than 60 percent, had
served in Vietnam. More than 4 million Americans have been
infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the majority of
these people do not know it. Hepatitis C is a potentially
life-threatening disease. Left unchecked, it can lead to
cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) and liver cancer and is the
leading cause of liver transplantation in the U.S. Each year, as
many as 10,000 people in this country die due to hepatitis C,
and the annual number of HCV-related deaths is expected to
triple over the next 10 years.
Hepatitis C is spread through infected blood. Combat and
military training bring soldiers into contact with blood and,
often, veterans have been exposed to bleeding wounds or have had
transfusions. The risk factors for hepatitis C include having
had a blood transfusion prior to 1992, being on long-term
hemodialysis, injection drug use (even once), having sexual
intercourse with multiple partners, and, to a lesser extent,
receiving a tattoo or body piercing.
The test kit, manufactured by Home Access Health Corporation, is
the only FDA-approved, at-home test for hepatitis C. The test is
clinically proven to be as accurate as tests used by doctors and
hospitals. With the easy-to-use test, a person collects a small
finger-stick blood sample in the privacy of his/her own home and
then mails it to the Home Access lab for processing. Using a
personal identification number that guarantees confidentiality,
the person can call a toll-free number to learn their test
results within 10 business days. Counseling, test results and
medical treatment referrals are available 7 days a week.
Order
the half price Hepatitis C virus home test kit online from
the American Liver Foundation (opens a new browser window)
The American Liver Foundation is a national, voluntary
nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention, treatment,
and cure of hepatitis and other liver diseases through research,
education and advocacy.
The Welcome Home Day Foundation receives NO
money from the sale of these kits by the American Liver
Foundation. This link is provide as a service to Veterans.
|
