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Colorado Hepatitis C Support Groups
For individuals infected with hepatitis C and family members affected by hepatitis C. Free and confidential monthly meetings. New members always welcome.
Metro-Denver
Downtown Denver
Gipson Eastside Family Center
501 28th St.
2nd Wednesday
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Beverly: (720) 231-2264
Englewood Library
1000 Englewood Pkwy.
Last Tuesday
6:30 - 8 pm
Beverly: (720) 231-2264
Lakewood
Shepherd of the Hills Church
11500 W. 20th
2nd Wednesday
6:30 - 8 pm
Betsy: (303) 940-4901
Statewide
Boulder YWCA 2222 14th St. Main Floor Mtg. Rm. 2nd Wednesday 6 - 7:30 pm Debbie: (303) 817-4938 Fort Collins Poudre Valley Health Systems 2121 E. Harmony 3rd Floor Last Wednesday 6:30 - 8 pm Jerry: (970) 214-2912
For information regarding support groups in other states, please call our HelpLine at 800-522-HEPC (4372) |
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Dear Friend,
Welcome to the May 2014 edition of
Connections!
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May is Hepatitis Awareness Month
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 May is Hepatitis Awareness Month. Chronic hepatitis is a leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants in the U. S. Millions of Americans are living with chronic hepatitis, and most do not know they are infected. Take five minutes to answer a series of questions and find out if you are at risk, using The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) online Hepatitis Risk Assessment. Forward this newsletter to friends and family members so that they can take the test, too!
Looking for resources for your organization, work place, support group. etc to increase awareness of viral hepatitis? Check out the CDC's Hepatitis Awareness Month Resource Page. You'll find posters, digital tools, radio scripts, and many other resources to increase awareness of hepatitis!
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Third Annual National Hepatitis Testing Day
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 As part of Hepatitis Awareness Month, May 19 is National Hepatitis Testing Day. This annual event was created by the CDC to increase awareness of the importance of getting tested for hepatitis C if you are a baby boomer or have a risk factor. Hep C Connection has organized Colorado's testing day activities, under contract with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This year, free hepatitis C screening will be offered throughout Colorado to baby boomers and any person with a risk factor. See below for a list of testing sites in Colorado. Not in Colorado? Click here to find a testing site in your area.
You should get tested if:
- You were born between 1945-1965, or if you ever...
- Injected or snorted drugs, even one time
- Received a tattoo outside of a licensed setting
- Had sexual contact with someone with hepatitis C
- Received any blood products before 1992 or outside the U.S.
Locations in Colorado for FREE testing on May 19, 2014:
Boulder County AIDS Project
2118 14th St., Boulder
10am - 5pm
(303) 444-6121
Boulder County Public Health
Boulder: 3482 N. Broadway
8:30am - 4pm
Longmont: 529 Coffman
9:30 am - 2:30 pm
(303) 413-7500
Denver Colorado AIDS Project / Hey Denver
Avella Pharmacy:
1245 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
10am - 4pm
(303) 837-1501
Denver Public Health
605 Bannock St., 2nd Floor, Denver
10am - 3pm
(303) 602-3609
Hep C Connection
Webb Municipal Building Atrium
201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver
9am - 3pm
(720) 917-3960
Northern Colorado AIDS Project
Fort Collins: 400 Remington St., #100
10am - 4:30pm
Greeley: 2017 9th St.
11:30am - 5:30 pm
(970) 353-1177
Tri-County Health Department
Aurora: 14980 E. Alameda Drive
Northglenn: 10190 Bannock St., #100
9am - 3pm
(303) 363-3048
Western Colorado AIDS Project
805 Main St., Grand Junction
12pm - 5pm
(970) 243-2437
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Hep C Connection at Colorado 9Health Fairs
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 We exhibited at seven 9Health Fairs in April and will be at five additional fairs during May and June. Three of the upcoming fairs will offer hepatitis C testing. We'll be there to answer any questions that attendees have about hepatitis. You can register for a 9Health Fair here. The 9Health Fair hours are from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm.
May 1
| Robin Van Maarth answering questions about hepatitis C testing a a 2014 9Health Fair |
Windsor Gardens
595 S Clinton St, Denver, CO
May 2*
Trinity Church at Downtown YMCA
25 E. 16th Ave, Denver, CO
May 3*
Erie Community Center
450 Powers St, Erie, CO
May 17
Waterstone Church
5890 S Alkire St, Littleton, CO
June 1*
Fillmore Auditorium
1510 Clarkson St, Denver, CO
* These sites will offer hepatitis C testing. The CDC recommends that any person born between 1945 and 1965 be tested for hepatitis C at least once in their lifetime. The CDC also recommends that any person with a risk factor for hepatitis C infection be tested.
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Free HCV & HBV Class for Prevention Providers on May 15, 2014 in Durango
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This is a FREE educational training on hepatitis B and C for prevention providers. We'll discuss:
-The basics of HCV and HBV, including virology, transmission, and treatment
- Who should be screened for the viruses
- Risk reduction counseling
- Incorporating viral hepatitis services into your agency using principles of Program and Service Integration
- A new optional component - official training on the OraSure rapid HCV antibody test. - And more! Click here to learn more about the class.
Time: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: San Juan Basin Health Department
Columbine Building, Downstairs Conference Room
281 Sawyer Drive
Durango, CO 81303
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Buy Your Tickets for a Day of Baseball in the Rocky Mountain West
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 World Hepatitis Day is an annual event held on July 28 and this year, Hep C Connection invites you, your family, and friends to a Rockies baseball game to recognize this very important day. It'll be a fun afternoon of baseball that raises funds for Hep C Connection's prevention and support programs and increases awareness of the global burden of liver disease. We hope you'll join us in cheering on the Colorado Rockies as they go up against the Pittsburgh Pirates. You'll be on the edge of your seat as the Rockies, ranked 22nd in the 2013 regular season, play their best to beat the Pirates, a team that finished just two spots ahead of them in 20th place. Here are the details on the game:
The Colorado Rockies against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Date: Sunday, July 27, 2014
Time: 2:10 P.M.
Price: $35/ticket
Seats: Section 117, rows 25 through 30
To purchase tickets: Call (720) 917-3965 or send an email to Nancy Steinfurth, nsteinfurth@hepc-connection.org
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New Drug Applications Submitted to the FDA for Treatment of Genotype 1 Infection
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Abbvie Submits New Drug Application to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) For its Investigational, all-Oral, Interferon-Free Therapy for the Treatment of Hepatitis C
04/22/2014 / Abbvie PRNewswire
Abbvie submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA for approval of a new regimen to treat adult patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C infection. The regimen includes ritonavir co-formulated with ombitasvir, and dasabuvir with or without ribavirin.
Full Article
Gilead Announces U.S. FDA Priority Review Designation for Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir Fixed-Dose Combination Tablet for Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1 Infection
4/7/2014 / Gilead Business Wire
The FDA has given priority review to Gilead's New Drug Application for the approval of a new regimen to treat adult patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C infection. The combination includes ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. Gilead expects a decision from the FDA by October 10, 2014.
Full Article
Bristol-Myers Squibb Submits NDAs for Daclatasvir and Asunaprevir to U.S. FDA for the Treatment of Hepatitis C
4/7/2014 / Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Business Wire
Bristol-Myers Squibb submitted a New Drug Application to the FDA for approval of a new drug combination to treat adult patients with hepatitis C genotype 1b infection. The combination includes daclatasvir and asunaprevir.
Full Article
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Featured HCV Clinical Trials
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To find clinical trials in your city, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov or call us at 1-800-522-HEPC and we can walk you through the website.
If you are in the metro-Denver area,
South Denver Gastroenterology, PC is currently enrolling patients for:
A phase 3 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of a 12 week regimen of simeprevir in combination with sofosbuvir in patients that have or have never gone through treatment, with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection, and that have cirrhosis.
A phase 3 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of a 12 or 8 week treatment regimen of simeprevir in combination with sofosbuvir in patients that have or have never gone through treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection.
A phase 3 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of the combination
regimen of MK-5172 and MK-8742 in patients with HCV genotype 1, 4, 5, or 6 infection who have failed prior treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
They are also recruiting patients with cirrhosis, any genotype and patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Please call Sherry Rogers at 303-406-4139 or Kelley Braun at 303-406-4288 if you are interested in enrolling in any of the above studies.
University of Colorado Hospital invites you to call Michael Cookson at (303) 724-1876 if you are interested in participating in a clinical trial at the Hospital.
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2014 Region VIII Viral Hepatitis Summit
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The Region VIII Viral Hepatitis Summit took place on April 4, 2014 at the University of Colorado. The summit was coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services HIV/AIDS Regional Resource Network. Over 50 attendees learned about the various viral hepatitis projects taking place throughout the Region VIII area. Other topics during the event were the updated 2014-2016 HHS Viral Hepatitis Action Plan, working with substance users, and a Project ECHO demonstration.
 | Project ECHO live from the 2014 HHS Viral Hepatitis Summit
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Project ECHO is a cost-free partnership between community providers and a University of Utah interdisciplinary team of professionals developed to treat chronic and complex disease(including hepatitis C) in rural and underserved areas through the use of technology.
 | | Nancy Steinfurth leads a break-out group at the 2014 HHS Region VIII Hepatitis Summit |
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