The campaign was launched today at the Palace of Westminster.  The launch event was hosted by Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hepatology.

The campaign objective is "to make the Government aware of the growing disease burden of hepatitis B in the UK and to promote the development of a national strategic action plan to prevent and manage this infection".

Results of a nationwide opinion poll on the level of awareness of hepatitis B by the general public were announced at the launch. The survey showed that there is a great deal of ignorance about hepatitis B. For example, only 11% of respondents knew that hepatitis B is a disease that can lead to cancer. Only 40% knew that hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination and only 17% were aware that hepatitis B is more infectious than HIV.

The B Aware camapaign is supported by the Hepatitis B Foundation UK and other organisations with an interest in hepatitis B: Association of Nurses in Substance Abuse, British Liver Trust, Children's Liver Disease Foundation and Mainliners.

The B Aware campaign is supported by an educational grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Professor Arie Zuckerman,

Chair of Hepatitis B Foundation UK,

highlighted the growing problem of hepatitis B in the UK

Hepatitis B Foundation UK Coordinator,

Penny Webb, presented  results of the  national

survey on hepatitis B awareness

Professor Nikolai Naoumov, Medical Adviser,

Hep B Foundation UK talked about the disease, hepatitis B,

and outlined treatment options