Dr. Thomas is helping lead the HCV Elimination Program in Florida.

The FL HCV elimination group convened national and local experts in August 2019 in Orlando, FL for its inaugural meeting to address screening, treatment-level barriers and liver cancer prevention. The meeting goal was to support a statewide HCV elimination program and it was attended by stakeholders including representatives from the FL DOH, patients, medical and social service providers, researchers, policymakers and others from private organizations. This followed an earlier HCV elimination meeting in February 2019, held in Miami, FL by the major liver disease societies (AASLD/EASL). Planned activities will strengthen and be synergistic with the current efforts from the FL DOH viral hepatitis program and include involvement of four major academic centers in FL. Stakeholders will continue to meet in 2020 with the goal of producing a guidance document with support from both the American Liver Foundation and ASTHO by participating in monthly peer-to-peer learning opportunities for hepatitis elimination.

Click here for more information about the Hepatitis Elimination Project

To participate in the State of Florida, please contact:

Thomas Bendle email: Thomas.Bendle@flhealth.gov
Emmanuel Thomas email: ethomas1@med.miami.edu