Detect liver diseases early instead of treating them late

Michael P. Manns, President of Hannover Medical School and co-chair of the EASL-Lancet-Liver Commission ; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH - MHH President develops recommendations for improving liver health with European Liver Commission Every year, almost 300,000 people in Europe die prematurely due to liver disease. Besides viral infections, genetic and autoimmune liver diseases, obesity and alcohol consumption are among the main risk factors. Instead of focusing on the treatment of end-stage liver disease, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) wants to shift the focus to prevention and early detection. For three years, the EASL-Lancet-Liver Commission has analysed the situation in Europe. Today, the expert panel is presenting its findings in Brussels. "The health of people in Europe depends on our future ability to detect liver diseases earlier, treat them or prevent them altogether through preventive action," emphasises Michael P. Manns, President of Hannover Medical School (MHH), who co-chaired the Liver Commission. The report appears simultaneously in The Lancet , the most important medical journal in Europe.