Landmark Study Reports a near 30 Per Cent Increase in Liver-Related Deaths in Canada in Eight Years

-Canadian Liver Foundation sounds the alarm on looming public health crisis-

TORONTO, April 2, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Liver Foundation today released, Liver Disease in Canada: A Crisis in the Making, the first comprehensive report on liver disease in Canada. Findings include close to a 30 per cent increase in deaths from liver disease in the eight years from 2000-2007, with Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia being hit hardest.

The Canadian Liver Foundation, in partnership with physicians from across the country, is sounding the alarm on this public health crisis and recommending short and long-term solutions to help defuse this ticking time bomb.

"Liver disease does not need to be a death sentence," said Dr. Morris Sherman, Toronto General Hospital Hepatologist and lead author of the study.  "Effective options for screening, diagnosis and treatment exist, but without government support and investment, Canadians will continue to die from preventable forms of liver disease. The burden of liver disease is about more than money. It's time that we look at the human costs of ignoring this issue."

As the largest internal organ, the liver is tied into virtually every critical process of the body. Yet, despite its importance to good health, the liver has been largely ignored. Unlike other major diseases, liver disease has no national strategy for a public health response.  With all the major forms of liver disease on the rise, experts are saying continued inaction will lead to a costly public health crisis with a serious toll on lives and resources.

The Canadian Liver Foundation is urging federal and provincial/territorial governments and related health agencies to work together to develop a national liver disease strategy that incorporates the 21 recommendations outlined in the report.

With an estimated one in 10 Canadians suffering from some form of liver disease and up to 25 per cent of Canadians affected by obesity-linked fatty liver disease, Dr. Sherman warns governments need to become more proactive about the issue.

The Canadian Liver Foundation commissioned the report to show, for the first time, the true scope of liver disease in the country. Using information from various sources including government, academic and institutional databases and physicians, experts collected facts and figures and extrapolated data on the most prevalent forms of liver disease.

A full copy of Liver Disease in Canada: A Crisis in the Making is available by visiting www.liver.ca/advocate.

About the Canadian Liver Foundation
The Canadian Liver Foundation (CLF) was the first organization in the world devoted to providing support for research and education into the causes, diagnoses, prevention and treatment of all liver disease. Through its chapters across the country, the CLF strives to promote liver health, improve public awareness and understanding of liver disease, raise funds for research and provide support to individuals affected by liver disease.

SOURCE: Canadian Liver Foundation