National Liver Health Awareness Month Highlights the Urgent Need for Liver Disease Prevention

Echosens Advocates for Increased Liver Health Awareness and Regular Screenings

PARIS, Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As we approach October's National Liver Health Awareness Month, Echosens, a manufacturer of non-invasive diagnostic technology, FibroScan®, is urgently calling attention to the importance of prioritizing liver health. The company underscores the significant role of regular liver screenings, particularly non-invasive ones, in detecting and preventing various liver diseases, such as Hepatitis, Fatty Liver Disease, Cirrhosis, and Liver Cancer. Echosens points out that public awareness and information about these diseases are currently insufficient, emphasizing the need for more education and awareness.

Over 844 million people worldwide are affected by liver diseases, as reported by the World Gastroenterology Organization. Often referred to as a "silent killer," liver disease frequently remains unnoticed until it reaches advanced stages. However, early detection via regular screening can slow or even reverse progression.

Dr. Mazen Noureddin, transplant hepatologist at Houston Research Institute and Houston Methodist Hospital, stated, "Our primary objective is to amplify awareness about the significance of liver health. Routine screenings can pinpoint liver disease at an early stage when it is most manageable. As physicians and patients, we must shift our focus from late-stage treatment to early detection and prevention."

This year's focus is increasing awareness of liver disease and highlighting the recent changes in terminology for fatty liver disease, now referred to as steatotic liver disease (SLD). The terms nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been superseded by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), respectively. The changes in naming conventions were meant to de-stigmatize liver disease and more accurately represent the connection to steatosis. This decision was reached following a multinational consensus involving 236 panelists from 56 countries, led by three major pan-national liver associations. More information and a complete list of name changes can be found here.

Dr. Phil Newsome, Director of NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, UK, endorsed the new nomenclature. "We believe that this change in terminology will help to eliminate the stigma associated with liver disease and improve patient identification," said Newsome. "We hope the new names will encourage more people to seek early screening for liver abnormalities, ultimately preventing more serious conditions such as end-stage liver disease."

Echosens is also inviting everyone to participate in their Understanding Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) quiz to learn more about these common conditions. This interactive quiz aims to educate participants about MASLD and highlight the importance of regular liver screenings. For more information about liver health, liver disease, and Echosens' initiatives, please visit www.echosens.com.

About Echosens
Pioneer in its field, Echosens significantly changed the practice of liver assessment with FibroScan^®, the non-invasive solution for comprehensive management of liver health. FibroScan^® is recognized worldwide and validated by over 4,200 peer-reviewed publications and 180+ international guidelines. Echosens has made FibroScan^® available in over 127 countries enabling millions of liver examinations worldwide. https://www.echosens.com/

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