LIVER FOUNDATION JOINS FORCES WITH CFL
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Liver Foundation has teamed up with the Canadian Football League and SmithKline Beecham Pharma to raise awareness about Hepatitis B and to reduce the incidence of the disease. The Canadian Liver Foundation will launch radio and TV ads beginning next month to encourage young people to discuss Hepatitis B vaccination with their doctors. The ads, which will be created in-house by the foundation, will feature CFL players. In addition, CFL players will visit schools to lend support to needle-shy kids who will be receiving vaccines during provincial school-based immunization programs. SmithKline Beecham will provide an educational grant to the foundation to produce educational materials featuring CFL players. The materials will be distributed to adolescents, healthcare professionals and the general public. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable disease that affects the liver. It is transmitted through the blood and other body fluids. People between the ages of 15 and 40 are at higher risk for the disease because they are more likely to engage in more high-risk activities such as unprotected sex, tattooing, body piercing or sharing needles, razors or toothbrushes.