Policy, Public Health & Advocacy

Preventive Hepatology Course

Course details

About this course

The Preventive Hepatology course is based on the latest findings of the EASL–Lancet Commission 2.0, which addresses critical gaps in liver health care across Europe. The Commission highlights key drivers of liver-related mortality, including the influence of commercial interests, fragmented policies surrounding alcohol and unhealthy diets, stigma that delays diagnosis and discourages care, socioeconomic inequalities, and a healthcare focus that prioritises end-stage disease over early detection and prevention.

Building on this work, the course reflects the Commission’s roadmap for shifting towards primary and secondary prevention, with particular emphasis on structural determinants of liver disease, health equity, and policy reform. The course equips hepatologists and allied healthcare professionals with up-to-date research insights and practical recommendations to integrate preventative strategies into clinical practice.

Learning Objectives

  • Provide clinicians and researchers in the EASL community direct access to the latest evidence and practices in the liver health advocacy space and offer opportunities for interested members to become more involved.
  • Educate viewers on the impact of social and commercial determinants of health as drivers of liver disease and as a key consideration for successful prevention, early detection and intervention strategies.
  • Empower clinicians to advocate for harm reduction in the liver disease space by teaching which policies are effective and providing practical tools for treatment and advocacy in daily practice.

  • Shira Zelber-Sagi

    EASL Public Health Councillor

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    Shira Zelber-Sagi

    EASL Public Health Councillor

    Prof. Zelber-Sagi has graduated BSc in nutrition sciences from the Hebrew University and has 25 years of experience as a clinical dietitian with expertise in liver diseases, within the liver unit, at the Department of Gastroenterology, Tel-Aviv Medical Center. She graduated with a Ph.D. in epidemiology and preventive medicine at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. Since 2009, she has been a faculty member at the University of Haifa, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences at the School of Public Health. From 2019 to 2024, for a term of 5 years, she was the Head of the School of Public Health, and she is currently the head of the MA committee. She is currently the Public Health Councillor of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). She is also a senior scientist at the Global NASH/MASH Council, Washington DC, United States. Her research focuses on MASLD  epidemiology, prevention, and treatment, combining nutrition, physical activity, weight reduction, and behavioral aspects. She has published over 150 scientific papers and book chapters.