Mission Statement
Hep B United Philadelphia is a citywide, community-owned public health campaign to increase testing and vaccination in the fight against hepatitis B and liver cancer.

Hep B United Philadelphia is a public awareness and education campaign – based on the enormously successful San Francisco Hep B Free campaign – that is being launched to address the growing severity of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the U.S. The primary goals of the Philadelphia campaign include the following:

1. Raise the public profile of hepatitis B and liver cancer as an urgent health priority
2. Increase hepatitis B testing and vaccination rates, particularly among at-risk populations
3. Involve and mobilize stakeholders and policy decision-makers to improve access to care for both the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B and liver cancer

Launch of the Campaign

On June 15, 2010 at a press conference, the Philadelphia Health Commissioner, Dr. Donald Schwarz, presented a Mayoral Proclamation in support of Hep B Free Philadelphia, a public awareness and education campaign to address the growing severity of hepatitis B and liver cancer in the city, and in the nation.

Please contact us if you would like to join our email list, participate in our monthly planning calls, and attend our special events and quarterly meetings. Everyone is welcome and all contributions of time, talent and expertise are appreciated!

Hepatitis B: A Philadelphia Story

Philadelphia is at the center of the hepatitis B story. The hepatitis B virus was discovered by Dr. Baruch Blumberg at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and he invented the first hepatitis vaccine that is now manufactured by only two companies which are both located in the Philadelphia region. The first animal that was discovered to be most useful in studying hepatitis B was a groundhog living in the Philadelphia Zoo and the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B – the Hepatitis B Foundation – was established just outside of Philadelphia.  It is only natural that Philadelphia would now take the lead in advancing the Hep B United campaign as a means to help make hepatitis a top health priority.

Hepatitis B is lethal and must be stopped!  The good news is that hepatitis B is preventable and treatable. In fact, the hepatitis B vaccine is the first designated “anti-cancer” vaccine because it can prevent chronic hepatitis B infections, which is the primary cause of liver cancer worldwide. Tragically, most Americans are unaware of their status because they have not been tested or vaccinated against hepatitis B.