Author information

¹Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

²Beatty Liver and Obesity Research Program, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA.

³The Global NASH Council, Washington DC, USA.

⁴Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.

⁵Center for Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.

⁶The Global NASH Council, Washington DC, USA. Jefffrey.Lazarus@sph.cuny.edu.

⁷CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH), New York, NY, USA. Jefffrey.Lazarus@sph.cuny.edu.

⁸Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Jefffrey.Lazarus@sph.cuny.edu.

⁹Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Jefffrey.Lazarus@sph.cuny.edu.

Abstract

Since 1980, the cumulative effort of scientists and health-care stakeholders has advanced the prerequisites to address metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a prevalent chronic non-communicable liver disease. This effort has led to, among others, the approval of the first drug specific for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH; formerly known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Despite substantial progress, MASLD is still a leading cause of advanced chronic liver disease, including primary liver cancer. This Perspective contextualizes the nomenclature change from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to MASLD and proposes important considerations to accelerate further progress in the field, optimize patient-centric multidisciplinary care pathways, advance pharmacological, behavioural and diagnostic research, and address health disparities. Key regulatory and other steps necessary to optimize the approval and access to upcoming additional pharmacological therapeutic agents for MASH are also outlined. We conclude by calling for increased education and awareness, enhanced health system preparedness, and concerted action by policy-makers to further the public health and policy agenda to achieve at least parity with other non-communicable diseases and to aid in growing the community of practice to reduce the human and economic burden and end the public health threat of MASLD and MASH by 2030.