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Webinar: A New Era of Hepatitis B

As we edge closer to the 2030 global elimination goals, the landscape for managing chronic hepatitis B is shifting rapidly. Are we ready for what's next?Join the Goodfellow Unit on July 21st at 7:30 PM for a vital webinar hosted by Professor Ed Gane, exploring how science, clinical insights, and public health strategy intersect to reshape the future of hepatitis B care in New Zealand.We will dive deep into three critical pillars of modern management:1. The Science of a Cure - An update on t...

Koona's story

We welcome our patient Koona tell his story of contracting Hepatitis B and the outcomes he has endured....

Five superfoods for your liver

As the human body’s largest organ, the liver has some pretty important functions – 500 of them, to be exact. It makes bile to help break down food, stores nutrients and vitamins and fights infections and disease, to name three. With such a heavy workload, it’s no surprise the liver needs a lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to keep itself going. The good news is by eating and drinking certain foods we can ensure it ge...

EASL Congress 2026 in Barcelona

Last Saturday May 30th, at the EASL Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Professor Edward Gane presented the first results from our Tune-401 Phase 1b/2a study, which showed:- 100% biomarker response at higher dose levels- Direct silencing of HBV cccDNA - Effects lasting 17+ months (ongoing) following a single dose "Over the prior 30 years in hepatology, I have rarely seen a clinical signal this clear,” remarked TuneTx CEO John McHutchison, AO, MD, CEO of Tune Therapeutics. "This marks a funda...

Blood test Catch up Clinic and Orbis Study

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand is holding a special catch-up clinic for patients in the Eastern Bay of Plenty who are overdue for their regular liver monitoring blood tests. Monitoring blood tests are important - they allow us to check for early signs of liver disease such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, which often have no symptoms until they are advanced. Clinic details Dates & times: Tuesday 23 June (9am - 5:30pm) Wednesday 24 June (8am – 5pm) Thurs...

World Hepatitis Alliance Summit 2026 in Bangkok

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand is proud to be represented at the World Hepatitis Alliance Summit 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand led by the The World Hepatitis Alliance.Our Nurse Manager, Jillian White was there and presenting a poster on our nurse-led model of care pilot for hepatitis B. This initiative is a game-changer for increasing treatment uptake through primary care - bringing care closer to the community.We are excited to be part of this global forum and learn from the best, where t...

Welcoming Nancy Carey to the Foundation Team

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand is delighted to announce the appointment of Nancy Carey as our newest Community Hepatitis Nurse.Nancy is a familiar face to many in the hepatology sector, having worked alongside the Foundation in various capacities for over 20 years. Her deep clinical roots and passion for patient care make her an outstanding addition to our national team.Nancy’s journey in New Zealand began in 2001 after moving from the UK. She joined Waikato Hospital, where she spent ...

Liver Cirrhosis Market Research

A market research project is being conducted to understand the experiences of adults living with liver cirrhosis or Hepatitis B.Anyone aged 18 years of age or over who has been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or Hepatitis B is eligible to participate.Participation in the project would involve completing a 15 to 20-minute online survey. In appreciation of your time and effort, $50 will be provided for completing the survey.The project has been commissioned by a pharmaceutical manufacturer, and is ...

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Hepatitis Delta in Aotearoa/New Zealand Nicola Caine 1, 2 , Lynnaire Matthews 1 , Amanda Broxholme 11 Hepatitis Foundation New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand, 2 Hepatology Nurse Practitioner, Tauranga, New ZealandIntroduction: Global hepatitis delta (HDV) epidemiology is limited, especially in the Pacific region. International guidelines vary but are increasingly aligning with WHO's recommendation to screen all those living with chronic hepatitis B (HBV)for HDV. Aotearoa lacks national HDV scree...

Critical Importance of Hepatitis B Vaccine 

Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine recommendation narrowing the agency's hepatitis B immunisation guidance for newborns in the United States the Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand today reaffirmed its unwavering support for the country’s universal hepatitis B vaccination schedule which has been a cornerstone of New Zealand's public health for over 35 years.In 1989, following a world-first study into the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine for children, led by the F...

Healthy Livers

We recently held a Webinar hosted by My Health Hub on Healthy Livers, the replay is now available.The Webinar was hosted by Dr Alex Lampen- Smith Specialist in Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Medical Director for the Hepatitis Foundation of NZ.Over 400 New Zealanders are diagnosed with primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC), each year. This cancer disproportionately impacts Maori, Pasifika, and Asian communities as hepatitis B is the main cause. 94,000 people in Aotearoa ...

Webinar: Healthy livers: Understanding the causes and how to reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Come along to our Webinar on October 8th - Healthy livers: Understanding the causes and how to reduce the risk of liver cancer.Over 400 New Zealanders are diagnosed with primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, HCC), each year. This cancer disproportionately impacts Maori, Pasifika, and Asian communities, as hepatitis B is the main cause. 94,000 people in Aotearoa are living with hepatitis B (HBV), and almost half are undiagnosed. Along with hepatitis B, metabolic-associated steatotic liv...

Webinar A to T of HBV

We recently held a Webinar hosted by My Health Hub on the A to T of HBV, the replay is now available.The Webinar was hosted by Dr Alex Lampen- Smith Specialist in Gastroenterology/Hepatology and Medical Director for the Hepatitis Foundation of NZWith chronic hepatitis B the leading cause of liver cancer in New Zealand the Hepatitis Foundation, in alignment with International Guidelines and the World Health Organisation, is recommending increased treatment uptake. To enable our rural patient...

Contact: Chronic hepatitis B in Aotearoa

Despite decades of vaccine availability, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a major global health challenge. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report estimates around 254 million people were living with CHB in 2022, with 1.2 million new infections each year.  CHB can lead to persistent liver inflammation, increasing the risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – the most common form of primary liver cancer. Globally, viral hepatitis is a leading cau...

The Hepatitis Foundation and GSK join forces

The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand (HFNZ) and GSK New Zealand Limited (GSK) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), formalising a collaborative commitment to eliminate hepatitis B in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This strategic partnership unites the expertise and resources of both organisations to improve health outcomes for New Zealanders affected by chronic hepatitis B (CHB).This announcement comes ahead of World Hepatitis Day on July 28th, an annual global event th...

Goodfellow Conference 2025

This past weekend our community nurses participated with a stand in the Good Fellow Symposium 2025, a key event for healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care. Our team engaged in meaningful discussions with doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses, focusing on enhancing Hepatitis B monitoring, management and treatment practices.The symposium provided a valuable platform for us to:Share the latest resources and guidelines on Hepatitis B screening, patient management, and m...

Liver cancer drugs receive Pharmac funding

We are so pleased to announce that liver cancer drugs Tecentriq and Bevacizumab will receive Pharmac funding! 🎗️ Tecentriq in combination with bevacizumab will help the 70 or so New Zealanders diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) each year.This is a huge step forward for liver cancer patients and their families in Aotearoa, providing access to standard-of-care treatment.Dr. Kerryn Symons, Country Medical Director at Roche New Zealand, explains: "Atezolizumab is an immunotherap...

New Clinical Trial for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B

Epigenetic gene silencing has the potential to achieve lasting control of HepB infection following a single, one-time treatment. No cutting or gene-editing required.Find out if this trial is right for you.Hoplink to our Clinical Trials page to find out more. ...

New guide for the Treatment of Hepatitis B for Health Professionals

The booklet - Management of Hep B a guide for Health Professionals was developed from combining over 10 resources making a useful and comprehensive guide for Health Professionals.Treatment information on Hepatitis B has changed over the past few years so it was a good time to refresh and come up with the most up-to-date guidelines.The guide is now available on our website here for downloading. It includes: Information on who we are, what our aims are, and how we will achieve them.Hepa...

World Hepatitis Testing Week

Hepatitis Testing Week begins on 18 November 2024 - Let’s Test It and Treat It This Hepatitis Testing Week!Testing for hepatitis B and C is a simple, quick step that can lead to early treatment and reduce the risk of liver cancer. Don’t wait—getting tested could save your life. Take control of your liver health today.Call the Liver helpline 0800 33 20 10 to find out more, or visit our website....

Hepatitis B on the Agenda at the Beehive

Today our CE, Sarah Davey Board Chair William Rainger and Board Member Edward Gane met with Hon. Casey Costello, Associate Minister of Health. The discussions covered how we work together with Government, and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to elevate hepatitis B in the health system's priorities, advocate for people with Hepatitis B and accelerate progress towards the WHO Elimination goals....

New Governance Team Members

We're thrilled to announce the addition of two talented individuals to the Hepatitis Foundation Governance Team: Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell and Dougal Crisp. Our new board member Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell is a descendant of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāi Tahu, and Ngāti Apa. He brings a wealth of experience to the board through his work at Haemata Limited, a Māori language and education consultancy business. Te Aorangi is also a passionate advocate for governance and is the youngest C...

What’s it like to be: Living with hepatitis

Published 30 July 2024: The Listener Online. I was about 35 when I found out I had hepatitis. My oldest daughter and I were living in Rotorua, and we went past this caravan that just happened to be doing hepatitis tests. She said, “Let’s go and have a try.” I got some results a couple of weeks later, telling me that I had hepatitis B.Looking back, there were a few clues that I might have had it when I was younger. I think I had a bout when I was a kid - I remember it made me go yellow...

Down with Hepatitis

On Sunday, World Hepatitis Day, our CE Sarah Davey had the pleasure of attending the premiere of 'Down with Hepatitis,' an inspirational documentary about the efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis in Niue.This tiny but mighty nation, enabled by the drive and passion of Hazel Heal, Ed Gane, Margaret Fraser, Alice Lee, and many others, shows the world how elimination is possible, not just a dream.Half the hepatitis in the world is in the Pacific region. Someone dies needlessly every minute or so. N...

Hepatitis Foundation Steps Up Awareness Efforts in Rural Communities for World Hepatitis Day

In the lead-up to World Hepatitis Day on July 28, The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand (HFNZ) is intensifying its outreach efforts to raise awareness about hepatitis B, particularly in rural areas. This year, HFNZ community nurses will be visiting rural general practices (GP) clinics throughout New Zealand to provide education and awareness about hepatitis B.“Rural communities can be harder to reach with health information,” says Sarah Davey, CE of The Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand....