Doctor Warns People Born Before 1992 Should Get Blood Tests for Hepatitis B Virus
People born before 1992 should get blood tests for hepatitis B, a Thai doctor warns, since Thailand's nationwide infant vaccination program only began around that year and many may carry the dormant virus unknowingly. Early detection can pr
On May 21, 2026, Dr. Thatchapong Jongcharoenyannont, a pediatric specialist in respiratory diseases and critical care, posted a warning through his medical education page alerting people born before 1992 to undergo hepatitis B virus blood screening, emphasizing that early detection can help prevent liver cancer.
Dr. Thatchapong explained that Thailand only began implementing nationwide hepatitis B vaccination for newborns seriously around 1992, meaning many people born before that year may never have received the vaccine as infants and could have been infected without knowing it. The critical concern is that hepatitis B virus can remain dormant in the body for decades without any symptoms, with many people only discovering their infection when cirrhosis or liver cancer has already developed.
For anyone born before 1992, particularly those uncertain about their vaccination history or who have never been screened, the doctor recommends getting a blood test screening. Those who test positive can access several effective antiviral medications that help suppress the virus and significantly reduce the risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. For those testing negative, hepatitis B vaccination is recommended, as it remains one of the few vaccines worldwide that also helps prevent cancer.
