Congress Recognizes 'World Hepatitis Day' to Push Adult Vaccination and Treatment Access

This Congressional Resolution officially recognizes July 28, 2025, as “World Hepatitis Day.” It’s more than just a calendar marker, though; the measure directly supports a major push for public education, universal adult Hepatitis B vaccination, and ensuring access to curative treatments for Hepatitis C. The goal is to get federal and local health departments to create specific plans to boost these rates and work toward eliminating viral hepatitis in the U.S.

The Silent Epidemic That Impacts Your Coworkers

For a lot of people, hepatitis sounds like something from a health textbook, but the reality is stark: up to 5.9 million people in the U.S. might have Hepatitis B or C, and over half of them don’t know it. This resolution highlights that Hepatitis B and C are massive public health problems, causing liver disease and cancer, and they are now the leading non-AIDS-related cause of death for people living with HIV. The bill points out that certain communities—including African Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and people who inject drugs—are hit hardest. Essentially, this is Congress saying, “This silent killer is costing us lives and we need to treat it like the emergency it is.”

The Treatment Gap: Why We Need a Public Health Push

One of the most frustrating things about this disease is that we have the tools to beat it, but we aren’t using them effectively. The resolution notes that while the Hepatitis B vaccine has been incredibly effective for kids, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends universal vaccination for all adults aged 19 to 59. Furthermore, Hepatitis C is curable with antiviral drugs, but less than a third of infected people are getting that treatment. The resolution specifically urges the CDC and local health departments to ramp up their efforts to increase both adult Hepatitis B vaccination rates and Hepatitis C treatment rates. This is a non-binding call to action, but it puts political pressure on public health agencies to close this treatment gap.

What This Means for Everyday People

Since this is a resolution, it doesn’t mandate new funding or create new laws, but its impact will likely be felt in two main ways. First, expect to see more public awareness campaigns—the kind of education that gets people to ask their doctor for a screening test. If you’re in the 19-59 age range, your primary care provider might start pushing the Hepatitis B vaccine more aggressively, which could protect you and your family. Second, by urging local health departments to create plans, the resolution supports the people on the front lines who are trying to get life-saving treatments to those who need them most. For the 5.9 million people who are currently infected, this resolution is a public statement of support for making sure they get diagnosed and treated, potentially saving them from liver failure or cancer down the road.