Taiwan cancer foundation highlights public gaps in hepatitis B understanding

台灣癌症基金會強調大眾對B肝的認知存在差距

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Nearly half of Taiwan’s population lacks basic understanding of hepatitis B, with 46% unaware of how it spreads and 40% mistakenly believing it can be transmitted through shared meals or respiratory droplets, according to the Formosa Cancer Foundation.

Chang Chia-lun (張家崙), a hematology and oncology physician at Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital and deputy CEO of the foundation, said hepatitis B is primarily transmitted through blood and bodily fluids — including mother-to-child transmission, shared needles, and sexual contact.

Taiwan is home to approximately 1.7 million hepatitis B carriers. Among those aged 40 and above, around 90% have been infected, and 10% to 12% are chronic carriers.

Chang said that about 33% of hepatitis B carriers in Taiwan do not receive annual liver checkups. Of that group, nearly 60% believe they do not need testing because they have no symptoms, while almost 20% are unaware monitoring is necessary, per CNA.

For carriers with persistent liver inflammation, 15% to 20% may develop liver cirrhosis, which can lead to liver failure. Of those with cirrhosis, about 5% may go on to develop liver cancer.

Chang emphasized that the liver is a "silent organ," with symptoms often appearing only at advanced stages. Skipping early treatment significantly raises the risk of liver cancer.

More than 7,700 people die from liver cancer each year in Taiwan, with over 5,000 of those deaths linked to hepatitis B.

Chang also noted that 30% of patients wrongly believe they can stop medication once liver enzyme levels normalize. He stressed that hepatitis B cannot be cured, only controlled.

Taiwan began universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns in 1986. Since then, the infection rate among newborns has dropped from 10% to below 1%, according to the Health Promotion Administration. However, infection rates remain around 10% among those born before the program began.

The administration currently provides one free hepatitis screening for individuals aged 45 to 79. Starting in August, those aged 39 to 44 will also be eligible, benefiting an estimated 2 million people.