hepatitis in terms of reducing unjustified discrimination.

(2) Issues to be considered

a) The national government shall establish Japan Hepatitis Day based on the World Hepatitis Day as resolved in the World Health Assembly in May 2010. In addition, the national and local governments shall cooperate with the Viral Hepatitis Research Foundation of Japan that has held the "Liver Week" for many years, in order to conduct intensive dissemination of information regarding hepatitis.

b) The national and local governments shall disseminate information regarding hepatitis to ensure people of all ages have accurate knowledge of hepatitis

c) The national and local governments shall promote informing the population of the possibility that anyone can be infected with the hepatitis virus, not only by sexual activity, but also through maternal-fetal transmission and horizontal transmission in infants and children, and the necessity of preventive measures, considering that acute hepatitis B (genotype A) has recently been reported in Japan and is likely to become chronic compared with conventional types.

d) The national and local governments shall disseminate information regarding symptoms of the disease and knowledge of hepatitis and the systems established for hepatitis treatment, to recommend that patients with hepatitis visit institutions in cooperation with health care insurers, organizations of physicians, other health care workers and personnel in charge of health care at work sites and business operator organizations.

e) The national government shall separately collect information necessary for patients with hepatitis from health care workers including physicians, personnel in charge of health care at work sites and business operators, and shall disseminate information.

f) The national government shall request business operator organizations to cooperate to develop a social system providing appropriate hepatitis treatment to patients as well as maintaining their working conditions. (Repeat)

g) The national government shall request that the Hepatitis Information Center improves the current system for information provision so that information about hepatitis is appropriately provided in regional medical institutions.

h) The national and prefectural governments shall disseminate information regarding consultation centers for hepatic diseases in base hospitals.

i) The national government shall again inform health care insurers and business operators of appropriate procedures for notification and handling of hepatitis test results, giving due consideration to privacy. (Repeat)

j) The national government shall conduct research to determine the actual level and nature of prejudice and discrimination against patients with hepatitis, and shall develop guidelines for the prevention of such prejudice and discrimination, and shall cooperate with local governments using results of relevant research and shall provide and disseminate information regarding hepatitis.

## Chapter 9 Other important issues related to promotion of control measures for hepatitis

(1) Enhancement and improvement of support for patients with hepatitis, and their family

a) Policies to be developed