乙肝基金會讚揚HHS關於歧視從事醫療保健事業的乙肝患者的

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Hepatitis B Foundation applauds HHS letter on discrimination against people living with hepatitis B who are pursuing careers in health care

Doylestown, Pa., Nov. 6, 2020 -- The Hepatitis B Foundation applauds the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for issuing a letter to health professions schools in the U.S., calling for renewed attention to admissions and clinical placement policies and their obligation to comply with federal civil rights laws that protect the rights of people living with hepatitis B.

In the U.S., an estimated 2.2 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B infection. Stigma and discrimination related to hepatitis B are often caused by lack of public awareness and fears and misconceptions about the disease. Students living with hepatitis B seeking education and training to become health care providers often face discriminatory admission policies and practices.

The recent letter from Admiral Brett P. Giroir, assistant secretary for health, and Roger Severino, director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights, highlights current recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for hepatitis B-infected health care providers and students. Those recommendations state, “HBV [hepatitis B] infection alone should not disqualify infected persons from the practice or study of surgery, dentistry, medicine, or allied health fields.”

Director Severino added, “Because stigma attached to a disability can result in discriminatory exclusion, this is an important reminder about people’s rights and provider’s responsibilities under the law.”

The message also reemphasizes nondiscrimination policies, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibit discrimination against people living with hepatitis B.

“This message from HHS leadership brings much-needed national attention to the continued discrimination students living with hepatitis B face,” Chari Cohen, DrPH, MPH, senior vice president of the Hepatitis B Foundation, said. “Despite federal protections, we continue to receive phone calls and letters from students around the country who face unjustified denial of school admission and enrollment or dismissal from academic programs because of their hepatitis B infection.”

"The Hepatitis B Foundation, which has been fighting for the rights of people living with hepatitis B for nearly 30 years, is very pleased to have this new tool that will help students and health providers facing discrimination," Dr. Cohen said. "We are grateful to Admiral Giroir and Director Severino for prioritizing the rights of people living with hepatitis B."

Discriminatory admissions policies at health care profession schools were revealed in 2011 when two students contacted the Hepatitis B Foundation for assistance when they were denied admission to medical schools because they had hepatitis B. The Foundation then alerted the U.S. Department of Justice, CDC and HHS, and helped coordinate the response that ultimately led to an agreement that people living with hepatitis B deserve protection under the ADA. In 2013, with support from and in collaboration with HHS and the U.S. Department of Education, a landmark settlement by the U.S. Department of Justice ruled the medical school had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Hepatitis B Foundation encourages persons living with hepatitis B who experience discrimination at a school in the U.S. to file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights. Additional resources, including guidance for health profession schools to assess and create policies and practices that adhere to CDC recommendations and legal requirements are available here.
https://www.hepb.org/resources-a ... ools-and-education/

StephenW

乙肝基金會讚揚HHS關於歧視從事醫療保健事業的乙肝患者的信

2020年11月6日，賓夕法尼亞州Doylestown-乙型肝炎基金會讚揚美國衛生與公共服務部（HHS）向美國衛生專業學校發出一封信，呼籲重新關注入學和臨床安置政策他們有義務遵守保護乙型肝炎患者權利的聯邦民權法。

在美國，估計有220萬人患有慢性乙型肝炎感染。與乙型肝炎相關的污名和歧視通常是由於缺乏公眾意識以及對這種疾病的恐懼和誤解造成的。尋求教育和培訓以成為醫療保健提供者的乙肝患者經常面臨歧視性的入學政策和做法。

衛生部長助理布雷特·P·吉羅爾（Brett P.Giroir）海軍上將和HHS民權辦公室主任羅傑·塞韋里諾（Roger Severino）最近的來信強調了美國疾病控制與預防中心（CDC）對乙肝感染的醫療保健的最新建議。提供者和學生。這些建議指出：“僅乙肝病毒（乙型肝炎）感染不應使受感染者喪失手術，牙科，醫學或相關健康領域的實踐或研究資格。”

主任Severino補充說：“由於對殘疾的污名化可能導致歧視性排斥，這在法律上提醒了人們的權利和提供者的責任。”

該信息還強調了非歧視政策，包括《美國殘疾人法案》（ADA），《康復法案》第504條和《可負擔醫療法案》第1557條，其中禁止歧視乙型肝炎患者。

乙型肝炎基金會高級副總裁，PHH博士Chari Cohen表示：“來自HHS領導層的這一信息引起了全國的高度重視，以繼續面對患有乙型肝炎面孔的歧視學生。” “儘管受到聯邦保護，但我們仍繼續收到來自全國各地學生的電話和信件，這些學生由於乙型肝炎感染而面臨不合理的入學，入學或開除學術課程的舉動。”

科恩博士說：“為爭取乙型肝炎患者的權利而奮鬥了近30年的乙型肝炎基金會非常高興擁有這一新工具，它將幫助面臨歧視的學生和醫療服務提供者。” “我們感謝吉羅爾海軍上將和塞韋里諾主任將乙肝患者的權利放在首位。”

保健專業學校的歧視性招生政策於2011年公佈，當時兩名學生因患有乙型肝炎而被拒絕進入醫學院，因此他們聯繫了乙型肝炎基金會以尋求幫助。該基金會隨後向美國司法部，美國疾病預防控制中心和HHS並幫助協調了最終導致達成協議的協議，即乙型肝炎患者應獲得《 ADA》的保護。 2013年，在HHS和美國教育部的支持下，美國司法部作出了具有里程碑意義的和解，裁定醫學院違反了《美國殘疾人法》。

乙肝基金會鼓勵在美國一所學校受到歧視的乙肝患者向HHS民權辦公室投訴。此處提供了其他資源，包括指導健康專業學校評估和創建符合CDC建議和法律要求的政策和實踐的指南。