§ 123. Mr. LitherlandTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any proposals for the future funding of an educational campaign for hepatitis B high-risk groups; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanThe Department recognises the seriousness of hepatitis viruses. A new edition of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations' memorandum "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease" will be published shortly and this includes advice on hepatitis B. The Health Education Authority is also reviewing its educational material about sexually transmitted diseases, including hepatitis B.
We are pleased to note a welcome decline in the incidence of hepatitis B from 1,785 reported cases in 1985 to approximately 600 cases in 1989.