Background

Swiss Experts in Viral Hepatitis (SEVHep) has been in existence for over 20 years as group of independent experts, meeting twice a year to discuss topics in the field of viral hepatitis. The group has published recommendations concerning hepatitis therapy and vaccination in the official bulletin of the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and in the official journal of Swiss physicians (FMH). These recommendations were originally issued under the auspices of SEVHep alone, but later on in close collaboration with the Swiss Association for the Study of the Liver (SASL) and the Swiss Society for Gastroenterology (SGG). In addition, SEVHep has contributed to relevant committees at the federal and cantonal level and thereby exerted influence on the decisions of health authorities.

In the light of abundant new data, new methods for promoting and marketing information, and a growing competition in the fields of diagnosis, therapy and prevention, SEVHep opted for a new structure with more defined goals in the year 2000.

Goals

The primary goal of SEVHep is to maintain a Swiss network of competency in the field of viral hepatitis, focusing on both preventive measures and management of all clinical consequences, from acute to chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The members of this network include clinicians, virologists, immunologists, epidemiologists and experts in public health and blood banking with extensive experience in the field of viral hepatitis.

• To reach consensus opinions in the field of diagnosis, epidemiology, pathogenesis, therapy and prevention of viral hepatitis.
• To provide information on viral hepatitis to medical doctors, patients and the public through its own website, scientific journals, and other media, as a rule in German, French, Italian and English
• To foster and maintain close collaborations (e.g., elaboration of recommendations) with SASL, SGG, BAG, as well as international institutions such as the CDC, VHPB, and WHO, etc.
• To establish and maintain contacts with patient organizations.
• To establish and maintain scientific contacts with the industry involved in viral hepatitis diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
• To maintain and constantly update its own SEVhep website.
• To provide a platform of knowledge as well as structural and financial support to research projects in the field of viral hepatitis, such as the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study.