Corporate
Almirall strengthens their ongoing commitment to patients with multiple sclerosis through their partnership with the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP)
·Almirall supports the EMSP Annual Spring Conference
·Creation of a website -www.lifeandms.com- addressed to persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), carers and relatives dealing with symptoms management, which will be accessible from the EMSP website
Barcelona, Spain; 26th May 2011: Almirall, S.A. (ALM) reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to patients with MS by supporting EMSP in different initiatives, -such as their Annual Spring Meeting- and through the sponsorship of a patient information leaflet in all European languages as well as the Almirall’s site www.LifeAndMS.com also accessible from the EMSP website.
Key themes at this year’s EMSP spring conference which took place in Brussels on 12th - 13th of May, included assistive devices and technologies, news on modifying disease therapies, the importance of patient input for health technology appraisals in the European Medicines Agency and new treatment and management strategies for MS symptoms.
Highlights included presentations from Mr Juan García Burgos, Head of Public Information and Stakeholder Networking Medical Information, European Medicines Agency (EMA), who discussed the importance of patient input for health technology appraisals at the EMA and Prof Michel Clanet, President of ECTRIMS, who provided highlights on the latest disease modifying therapies in MS. Prof Norbert Goebels, Department of Neurology Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany, discussed new treatment options and the ten most common MS symptoms -spasticity, fatigue, balance and dizziness problems, loss of mobility, loss of memory, pain as well as vision, bladder, sensory and bowel problems-.
Mr John C. Golding, EMSP president comments, “The well-being of MS patients is and will always be our first priority. The research and development of new treatments by the pharmaceutical industry is key to the future of MS patients. It is therefore important for the EMSP, and patient organisations in general, to partner with all stakeholders in this fight.” Also, he added that, “transparency on both sides is key for a successful collaboration and to ensure organisations keep their integrity and independence.”
Almirall has also been working with the organization to develop a patient information leaflet, authored by Dr Jaume Sastre Garriga, Unitat de Neuroimmunologia Clínica, Centre d’Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (CEM-Cat), Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (HUVH), Barcelona, Spain, which will be available shortly in all European languages.
Enquiries:
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Almirall PR:
Fiona Gildea
+44 (0)20 7611 3881
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Notes to Editors
MS
MS is a chronic condition which currently affects over 500,000 people in Europe[i] and ismost commonly diagnosed in young people between the ages of 29 and 33 years.[ii] Life for MS sufferers can be unpredictable and no two patients’ experience of MS is the same, as the symptoms depend on which areas of the central nervous system have been affected.[iii]
About EMSP
Founded in 1989, EMSP is the umbrella organisation for 37 MS societies from 34 European countries. EMSP represents their interests at the European level and works to achieve its goals of high quality equitable treatment and support for people with MS throughout Europe.
The organisation’s mission is:
·Exchanging and disseminating information relating to MS considering all issues relevant for people affected by MS.
·Encouraging research of all kinds that is appropriate to MS through recognised medical and other organisations.
·Promoting the development of join action programmes with the participation of national MS societies in Europe, aiming at improving the quality of their activities and services.
·Acting as a focal point for liaison with the institutions of the European Union (EU), the Council of Europe and other European organisations, in order to propose new measures to advance the rights of persons with disabilities and to ensure their full and effective participation in society.
For more information, please visit www.emsp.org.
About EMSP Annual Congress 2011
This year’s annual EMSP congress took place in Brussels on 12 - 13 May 2011. Over 120 people participated to the conference this year which focused on assistive and medical devices for patients with MS.
About Almirall
Almirall is an international pharmaceutical company based on innovation and committed to health. Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, it researches, develops, manufactures and commercialises its own R&D and licensed drugs with the aim of improving people’s health and wellbeing.
Almirall focuses its research resources on therapeutic areas related to the treatment of asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and other dermatological conditions.
Almirall’s products are currently present in over 70 countries while it has direct presence in Europe and Latin America through 12 affiliates.
For further information please visit the website at: www.almirall.com
References
[i] Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. About MS - Introduction. Available at: http://www.atlasofms.org/query.aspx - incidence in 2008.
[ii] Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. About MS – Epidemiology. Available at: http://www.msif.org/en/about_ms/who_gets_ms.html (Last accessed: 26/07/10).
[iii] Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. About MS – Symptoms. Available at: http://www.msif.org/en/about_ms/symptoms.html (Last accessed: 26/07/10
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