Hepatitis B is a disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Infection with HBV can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and liver cancer. 80% of liver cancer worldwide is caused by HBV infection.

Hepatitis B is 100 times more infectious than HIV. Because of its infectiousness and because it can survive outside of the body for up to 7 days, HBV can be spread through items such as shared razors and toothbrushes that have contaminated blood on them.

Since the diagnosis of hepatitis B is so easily missed by both patients and their physicians, the only way to diagnose for hepatitis B infection is through a simple and inexpensive blood test.

HBV infection and the liver cancer and liver failure associated with chronic infection are all vaccine preventable with the hepatitis B vaccine. It is so effective that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have called the hepatitis B vaccine the first "anti-cancer" vaccine.