The NASH Education Program™, Giving Voice to the "Silent Epidemic" Afflicting 25 million Americans, Launches March 26

Mar 25, 2018 at 02:55 pm by Staff


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  • On March 26, The NASH Education Program launches in the United States to bring awareness to a little-known, asymptomatic disease estimated to affect more than 25 million Americans.

  • To mark the launch of The NASH Education Program™ in the United States, a webinar will be held at 2:00 pm EST on Monday, March 26, featuring expert perspective from leading hepatologists and diabetologists in the field, a patient, and a patient advocate fighting NASH. You may register for the webinar by clicking the above link.

  • The NASH Education Program™ also will soon launch the U.S. arm of International NASH Day, to take place on June 12, 2018 in 20 cities around the globe.

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The NASH Education ProgramTM launches on March 26 in the United States, focused on bringing awareness to a little-known, asymptomatic disease estimated to affect more than 25 million Americans and about 12 percent of adults in developed countries. NASH, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a metabolic disease characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver, along with inflammation and the degeneration of liver cells. In too many cases it leads to liver transplants and liver cancer. It afflicts a growing number of children and teenagers, and particularly strikes the Hispanic population.

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The NASH Education Program™, an independent legal entity and a non-partisan initiative, includes an independent scientific committee (made up of EU and US hepatologists and diabetologists) dedicated to raising awareness of this devastating disease. Through the production and dissemination of educational videos, digital content and research conducted by the NASH Global Health Observatory, The NASH Education Program™ seeks to build a non-partisan coalition to inform and equip all healthcare sectors to proactively solve this public health crisis.

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To mark the launch of The NASH Education Program™ in the United States, a webinar will be held at 2:00 pm EST on Monday, March 26. This webinar will include expert perspective from leading hepatologists and diabetologists in the field, a NASH patient who will share her experience with this complex disease, and a leader in liver patient advocacy. You may register for the webinar by clicking here.

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Also on March 26, officials of The NASH Education Program™ will release results of their new patient "Health Unlocked" survey, via the British Liver Trust & the Fatty Liver Foundation communities in partnership with Health Unlocked. This important survey contains new data on patients' awareness of the disease, feelings on the need for more information on NASH, and the ties to related health conditions patients have (such as high blood pressure and diabetes).

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Perspective from American physicians and patients about NASH is being shared by The NASH Education Program™ to help educate on this challenging disease, including:

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Dr. Stephen Harrison, Medical Director of Pinnacle Clinical Research, Visiting Professor of Hepatology at the Radcliffe College of Medicine, University of Oxford, San Antonio, Texas, USA, commented: "NASH is predicted to become the leading cause for liver transplantation in the U.S. by 2020.Yet NASH is a 'silent' chronic disease that is difficult to diagnose, meaning those most at risk for developing NASH, or who may already have it, don't know it. The NASH Education Program™ is designed to place the practitioners and the patients at the heart of tomorrow's awareness and education actions," Harrison continued. "We hope to give voice to potential NASH patients and help them on the path to a longer, healthier life."

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Donna R. Cryer, President & CEO of the Global Liver Institute commented: "Given GLI's focus on attaining global recognition of the human and economic costs of ignoring liver health, it only made sense for us to support The National Education Program's efforts to educate people worldwide on NASH."

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Marcela Medina, a patient diagnosed with NASH commented: "As a newly diagnosed NASH patient, it has been a struggle to find useful resources to help me navigate the disease and the NASH Education Program™ will fill this void."

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In related news, The NASH Education Program™ will organize the first International NASH Day, to take place on June 12, 2018 in close to 20 cities across the globe. A large coalition of physicians, scientists, patients and stakeholders will come together for a day of action to bring awareness to the next worldwide public health crisis, and to rally behind efforts to combat and cure NASH.

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ABOUT NASH

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NASH, or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a metabolic disease characterized by the accumulation of fat in the liver, along with inflammation and the degeneration of liver cells. The disease is associated with long-term risk of progression into diminished liver functionality, leading to non-alcoholic cirrhosis, liver insufficiency and possibly even liver cancer. It also is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Its rise is believed to be connected to the type 2 diabetes and obesity epidemics that are growing globally.

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ABOUT THE NASH EDUCATION PROGRAMTM

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The NASH Education ProgramTM - a non-profit endowment fund - defines and drives initiatives in collaboration with an independent scientific committee composed of four international key opinion leaders. The scientific committee leaders are well-known and respected in both hepatic and metabolic disease circles, with a strong presence in the United States as well as in Europe. To learn more, please visit www.the-nash-education-program.com.

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