National Hepatitis B Testing Policy


This Testing Policy has been developed as a concise source of standardised, currently available information, to inform health professionals, government and industry about specific matters associated with hepatitis B testing. This Testing Policy is not a set of clinical guidelines or a description of the management of hepatitis B infection. It should not be used as a guide for the clinical management of hepatitis infections. It is designed primarily to inform those involved in ordering and performing hepatitis B tests, and receiving and interpreting results.

This Policy was written by the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Testing Policy Expert Reference Committee, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. The process was coordinated by the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Medicine (ASHM).

The views expressed in this Testing Policy are not necessarily those of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth and the Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Standing Committee (BBVSS) of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) do not accept any liability for any injury, illness, damage or loss incurred by any person arising from the use of or reliance on the information or advice that is provided in this Testing Policy.

The National Hepatitis B Testing Policy has been endorsed by the Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Committee, effective 18 February 2021.

Please see here an overview of what is new in this update of the policy

Download a PDF copy of the testing policy