Many Americans may be aware of certain liver diseases, such as Hepatitis C and B, illnesses that impact over 3.2 million Americans. Far fewer, however, have heard of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a growing public health issue that affects 80-100 million people in the U.S.. Pyxis Partners works with the American Liver Foundation (ALF) to educate policymakers in Washington about this condition.

Pyxis Partners helped craft ideas on how best to raise awareness on NAFLD with Members of Congress. One idea was to secure federal funding through the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to support a National Academies study that would examine the prevalence, incidence, and cost of NAFLD across the country.

Pyxis Partners identified potential key champions and through a series of meetings on Capitol Hill, was able to connect with Congressional staff to discuss NAFLD and the need for a National Academies study. This resulted in a Member of Congress submitting ALF's request to appropriators - a successful milestone in this endeavor.

Pyxis Partners also worked with ALF to help them identify advocates who can share their stories as individuals living with NAFLD or caretakers of someone with NAFLD to emphasize the importance of congressional attention to this issue. Having the advocates join us in these meetings provided a real face to the issue and helped emphasize the need for Congressional attention.

These advocacy measures will help ensure NAFLD is taken seriously as a public health issue and more resources are devoted to understanding this condition, raising public awareness, and improving access to preventive measures. The work conducted by Pyxis Partners provides a greater sense of hope for those affected by NAFLD and greater support through increased resources they need to lead healthier lives.