The Global Burden of H. pylori: A Call for Stomach Cancer Prevention Programs (Managed Healthcare Executive)

H. pylori infection affects nearly half the world’s population and is a leading, yet preventable, cause of stomach cancer. A new analysis published in Nature Medicine projects that 15.6 million people born between 2008–2017 could develop stomach cancer without intervention. Astonishingly, 76% of those cases are linked to H. pylori and could be avoided with early screen-and-treat strategies.The burden is highest in Asia and growing among people under 50, yet treatment remains accessible—antibiotic combinations with proton pump inhibitors are both effective and affordable. Experts call for national prevention programs to mitigate what could be a looming public health crisis