The Caring Ambassadors Program uses a unique approach in our work to address the elimination
of viral hepatitis and specifically hepatitis C.
Our three main methods to combat hepatitis C are to Empower patients and providers to increase their knowledge of hepatitis C to improve access a cure; to Educate systems and communities on how to integrate viral hepatitis services into existing programming; and to Advocate on behalf of patients and communities to create sound policy, funding and messaging. We are honored to serve the community to help eliminate the largest infectious disease outbreak of our time; we promise to be BOLD in our approach to creating paths to health and making hepatitis C history.
AmazonSmile is a website operate by Amazon with the same products, prices and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products.
MY CHOICES© is a tool to help you recognize and act upon what you can control in your health care journey to achieve optimal healing, regardless of the illness you face. It contains elements of a guide book, health planner, journal, and activity book to help orient you to and plan for the journey ahead.
Order Educational Materials
Free brochures and materials
Order Educational Materials. Caring Ambassadors Program believes that knowledge is power. We strive to empower patients, systems and communities to increase their knowledge of hepatitis C in effort to eliminate the largest infectious disease outbreak of our time.
Pre-training Webinar: Syndemics & Viral Hepatitis The Bigg Elimination Tribute Project is an innovative approach to a Chicago-based hepatitis C (HCV) micro-elimination program, and was built in honor of a friend of the Caring Ambassadors, the late, Dan Bigg.
Weekly News Update.
Caring Ambassadors Program provides 3 weekly news updates covering Lung Cancer News, Hepatitis C News, and My Choices© Update. Receive them delivered weekly to your inbox.
Hepatitis C News
Week Ending December 9, 2019
Hepatitis C Virus Screening and Care: Complexity of Implementation in Primary Care Practices Serving Disadvantaged Populations
‘Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) disproportionately affects disadvantaged communities. Objective: To examine processes and outcomes of Screen, Treat, Or Prevent Hepatocellular Carcinoma (STOP HCC), a multicomponent intervention for HCV screening and care in safety-net primary care practices.’
Glecaprevir and Pibrentasvir Helps HCV Patients with Treatment Failure
‘While treatment options remain limited after failure of sofosbuvir with an NS5A inhibitor for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, new data points to glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P) as a potential option for these patients.’
Hepatitis C reinfection after successful antiviral treatment among people who inject drugs: A meta-analysis
‘HCV reinfection following successful treatment can compromise treatment outcome. This systematic review assessed the rate of HCV reinfection following treatment among people with recent drug use and those receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT).’
How 5 health systems are using their 340B savings
‘A report released Dec. 4 by 340B Health shows how hospitals that receive 340B program funding are using their savings to improve patient outcomes. The 340B drug pricing program was created in 1992 to make sure hospitals that serve large populations of low-income, Medicaid, uninsured and under-insured patients could continue to provide care regardless of patients’ ability to pay.’
Hepatitis C drug prescriptions and Medicaid policies–four states, Indian health care system, USA 2018
‘Medicaid, the state-level public insurance in the United States, has widely differing criteria treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) such as stage of liver fibrosis, documented sobriety, and specialist consultation. In a rural health network, facilities located in two less restrictive states prescribed HCV drugs at a significantly higher rate than two more restrictive states.’
New Study has Global Impact on Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts
‘Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects over 70 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. An estimated three to four million Americans have chronic HCV infection, with many of them being baby boomers born between 1945 and 1965.’
My Choices© Update
Week Ending December 9, 2019
Health Tip: 4-7-8 Breath Relaxation Exercise
“Breathing exercises can help you relax and manage stress, says the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. The center suggests using the 4-7-8 breath exercise.”
7 Home Remedies to Boost Your Immune System
“Fall and winter usher in the cold and flu season, so it’s important to boost your immune system to protect from viruses and germs. With the busy holiday social season, you need to be especially careful since you are much more likely to come into contact with folks sniffling and sneezing.”
How Long Does Chemotherapy Stay in Your Body?
“Chemotherapy agents are powerful drugs that are used to treat cancer throughout the body. Chemotherapy drugs work by a variety of different mechanisms, but their general effect is to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells, which divide and proliferate quickly. Chemotherapy is administrated with the intention of eliminating cancer cells so that the infected body can survive and remain in remission.“
Marijuana Could Offer Relief From Migraine Pain
“Headache and migraine patients, take note: medical marijuana may help ease your pain.”
NIH study reports more than half of US office-based physicians recommend CHA
“A new study has shown that more than half (53.1%) of office-based physicians in the U.S., across specialty areas, recommended at least one complementary health approach (CHA) to their patients during the previous 12 months, with female physicians (63.2%) more likely to recommend a CHA than male physicians (49.3%).”
Dreams train brain for fearful real-life situations
“Bad dreams can help people react better to frightening situations when they’re awake, a finding that could lead to dream-based therapies for anxiety, Swiss researchers say.”
Plant-based Diets: What About Dairy?
“Plant-based diets might aid in the prevention and reversal of disease. People with Parkinson’s disease can benefit from plant-based diets.”
Botanicals in the limelight during scientists’ social media Q&A
“On Nov. 8, National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists from NIEHS, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), and others joined science enthusiasts on the social media platform Reddit.”
How to Eat, Sleep and Live Better, with Dr. Andrew Weil M.D.
“Dr. Andrew Weil M.D. is nothing less than a legendary leader within the field of integrative and botanical medicine. Now, at 77 years old, he’s still the perfect picture of health.”