APASL 2023 | Prof. Rao Huiying: Eliminating HCV, Key Issues That Still Need Attention

APASL 2023 | Prof. Rao Huiying: Eliminating HCV, Key Issues That Still Need Attention

2024.01.07
Chronic HCV infection is a global public health issue. With the widespread use of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has become a curable disease. However, after successful HCV clearance and achieving sustained virological response (SVR), do CHC patients still face risks of liver-related events? Currently, there is a significant gap in reaching the World Health Organization's goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030. How can we achieve near-elimination of HCV? At the 32nd annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), Professor Rao Huiying from Peking University People's Hospital, China, was invited as our special correspondent to bring four significant research findings in this field to our readers, providing insightful interpretations and summaries.
APASL 2023 | Prof. George Lau: Seeking the “Cure” for Liver Disease – A Hepatologist’s Thirty-Year Journey of Exploration

APASL 2023 | Prof. George Lau: Seeking the “Cure” for Liver Disease – A Hepatologist’s Thirty-Year Journey of Exploration

2024.01.07
The 32nd annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) was held at the Taipei International Convention Center in Taiwan, China, from February 15 to 19, 2023. During the conference, the APASL Executive Committee awarded four prestigious honors, including the third APASL Highest Honor Award, the Okuda-Omata Outstanding Achievement Award, to Professor George Lau. Professor Lau, Chairman of the Universal Benevolence Medical Group in Hong Kong, China, and Co-Director of the Liver Disease and Transplant Center at the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital in Beijing, in collaboration with the Universal Benevolence Medical Group, was recognized for his distinguished achievements. In his acceptance speech, Professor Lau delivered an inspiring message, encouraging his peers in hepatology to continue their relentless pursuit of curing liver diseases. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Lau and are pleased to share a translated version of his speech for our readers' encouragement and inspiration.
APASL 2023 | Prof. Jia Jidong: Latest Advances in Primary Biliary Cholangitis

APASL 2023 | Prof. Jia Jidong: Latest Advances in Primary Biliary Cholangitis

2024.01.06
Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease mediated by autoimmunity, with its pathogenesis not yet fully understood. Traditionally, PBC was thought to predominantly affect Western populations, but in recent decades, there has been an increasing number of reported cases and published literature in the Asia-Pacific region, escalating the disease burden. In response, the Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) released clinical guidelines for PBC last year to better guide clinical practice. Recently, at the 32nd APASL Annual Conference, Professor Jia Jidong from the Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Friendship Hospital, China, delivered an insightful academic lecture titled "Latest Advances in Primary Biliary Cholangitis".