Hepatitis Australia is calling for national roll out universal hepatitis B testing for people over the age of 25.In a statement issued 8 April, Hepatitis Australia CEO, Lucy Clynes, said universal testing for hepatitis B is the next crucial step in eliminating hepatitis B and reducing liver cancer.
New data shows that liver cancer deaths caused by chronic hepatitis B are increasing in Australia. The data from the WHO Collaborating Centre at the Doherty Institute revealed that in 2023, 460 Australians died due to complications from chronic hepatitis B, which is a 10.6% increase in deaths nationally since 2017, following years of gradual decline. Of these deaths, a massive 82% were attributable to hepatocellular carcinoma (the most common form of liver cancer) caused by a chronic hepatitis B infection.
