MSD supports awareness campaign on World IBD Day 2019
15.05.2019 08:00 Europe/Zurich
Lucerne, 15 May 2019 – Sunday, 19 May is World IBD Day. The global awareness and solidarity campaign aims to inform the public about chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and promotes understanding for those affected. In Switzerland, the awareness initiative for World IBD Day will be coordinated by Crohn Colitis Schweiz (the Swiss Association for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) on May 18th. MSD supports the activities in Lucerne and Lausanne and will be present as an exhibitor with an information booth.
IBD refers to recurrent or continuous inflammatory changes in the bowel.1 In Switzerland, more than 25,000 people (1 in 350) are affected.1 The most common chronic inflammatory bowel diseases are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.1 Symptoms such as blood in the stool, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and general physical weakness make it hard for patients to lead a normal everyday life.1 Even though the introduction of biological drugs has led to significant advances in treatment,2 Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis remain incurable to this day and the patient’s level of suffering is often still very high.1
Education and raising awareness in Lucerne and Lausanne on May 18th
This year’s World IBD Day activities will take place in Lucerne and Lausanne. They are intended to inform the public about chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and at the same time give those affected the opportunity to talk to each other and exchange ideas.
Program in Lucerne
In the Hotel Radisson Blu, the venue in Lucerne, lectures by the specialists Prof. Dr. med. Stephan Vavricka and Dr. Daniel Venetz are part of the program. In addition, coach and supervisor Patrick Widmer will speak on the subject of “Good mood begins with me”. Various exhibitors, including MSD, will be informing visitors at their booths about chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and much more, and those who dare can try to walk barefoot on broken glass. The event will be moderated by the Swiss TV, radio and event presenter Linda Gwerder. As a purple highlight, the archway at Lucerne railway station will be illuminated in purple from 7 p.m. onwards.
Further information Programm flyer Lucerne
Program in Lausanne
At the CHUV (Centre hospitalier universitaire Vaudois) in Lausanne, the experts Prof. Alain Schoepfer, Dr. Nurullah Aslan and Dr. Sébastien Godat will give lectures to the public on chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, how they can affect the quality of life of patients and what treatment and monitoring options are available.
More Informationen Program flyer Lausanne
MSD’s commitment to the fight against IBD
For years, MSD has been committed to researching new and improving existing treatment options for IBD patients. To develop innovative solutions that contribute to improving the health of patients in Switzerland, MSD is constantly seeking opportunities for partnership. The result of such a successful cooperation is, for example, iBDialog monthly: a practical app that gives patients in Switzerland with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and their gastroenterologists a continuous overview of their course of treatment. iBDialog monthly was developed by leading gastroenterologists from IBDnet and the patient organization Crohn Colitis Schweiz in close cooperation with MSD.
References
1 https://www.crohn-colitis.ch/leben-mit-der-krankheit, last access 02.05.2019
2 Cote-Daigneault J et al “Biologics in inflammatory bowel disease: what are the data? United European Gastroenterology Journal 2015, Vol. 3(5) 419–428
About MSD in Switzerland:
700 employees are working in national and international functions in Switzerland. The Human Medicine division is active in the areas of prescription drugs and biopharmaceuticals for therapies including oncology, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases (including fungal infections, antibiotic resistance, HIV/Aids, and hepatitis C), immunology, women’s health as well as in the area of vaccines for children, young people, and adults.
MSD is active in clinical research, where it manufactures drugs for clinical trials worldwide. MSD plays an active role in engaging locally, supporting the health congress “Trendtage Gesundheit Luzern” and the popular “Swiss City Marathon Lucerne. In 2019, the company was certified as a “Top Employer Switzerland” for the seventh year in succession, as well as a “Top Employer Europe” for the fourth time.
About MSD worldwide:
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CH-NON-0117, 05/2019