History

Early beginnings

The Hepatitis B Foundation UK was really born on 17 February 2006. On that day a group of doctors, nurses and patient representatives met under the chair of Professor Arie Zuckerman, an international authority on viral hepatitis. At the meeting the decision was made to create a charity which would work to promote interventions designed to prevent hepatitis B (including universal immunisation), to improve services for the treatment of hepatitis B, and to support people with hepatitis B infection.

Registered charity

Hepatitis B Foundation UK became a Not for Profit Company on 08 June 2006, and a Registered Charity on 31 October 2006.

Steady progress

Since the inaugural meeting there has been steady progress, assisted with generous seed funding from Gilead Life Sciences Ltd. We are already being asked to represent patients’ views at conferences and are able to offer help and support to patients via phone and email. We are participating in the B Alert campaign which was launched at the House of Commons on 25 October 2006.

In little over six months we were able to launch our current, greatly expanded website which we shall continue to develop. Our plan for 2007 includes developing materials for patients. However, much more needs to be done.

We are delighted to have the support of our sister organisation in the USA. Timothy Block, President of the Hepatitis B Foundation (US) sent us an email saying: “Congratulations on the launching of your new web site. Please know that we, at The Hepatitis B Foundation (US), wish you very well”.

We are grateful for the support of our Trustees and Advisors.