First Dedicated Virtual Community for Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) Patients Launched Today
Zug, Switzerland, June 11, 2010 (ots/PRNewswire)
Amgen (Europe) today launched ITPvillage.com, a dedicated website bringing together patients, healthcare professionals and those who care for people affected by ITP, at the 15th Congress of European Hematology Congress in Barcelona, Spain. For many patients living with ITP, it can be an extremely isolating and lonely experience, but ITPvillage.com will provide an online community for European healthcare professionals and patients respectively, to share information and experiences about the condition.
To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:
http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/amgen/42441/
Affecting an estimated 50,000 adult patients in the European Union (EU)[1], ITP is a serious autoimmune disorder characterised by low platelet counts in the blood (thrombocytopenia), which can lead to serious bleeding events and has a devastating impact on patients' lives. The launch of this dedicated website provides a unique portal that is unlike anything else currently available, in terms of its design, depth of information and the experience it offers users.
Crispin Black, a patient who has been diagnosed with ITP, said of the condition: "ITP is a condition that can be managed, but it makes you very anxious and the symptoms and side effects attack your quality of life. There are things that constantly worry me, like the risk of a potential brain haemorrhage and what would happen to me in a car crash or any other type of accident. A forum to share these concerns or obtain information on ITP will definitely be welcome by patients."
ITPvillage.com will be continually updated to ensure the latest news and information about ITP is available to those who visit the site, and select content will be translated into several European languages in the future. Upon entering the website, users are greeted by a village 'concierge' who provides site navigational assistance. The website has many unique features including:
- The Village Library which provides comprehensive background
information, publications and support relevant to living with or
managing ITP.
- The Village Cinema which presents a choice of short films for
healthcare professionals and for the general public to expand their
understanding of ITP.
- The Community Post Office allows users to post any questions they may
have about ITP to be answered by authoritative sources, as well as
providing important information about the disease.
- The ITP Village Council consists of leading consultants from Europe,
who specialise in ITP and can help provide useful information and
advice."Amgen are committed to improving the lives of patients, not just in terms of the products that we develop, but also in the way we support our patients and those who care for them," said Georg Kreuzbauer, Medical Director International Development at Amgen International. "With ITPvillage.com, we have developed a centralised resource that provides information to everyone impacted by ITP. The website content is validated by leading ITP experts from around the globe and will be updated regularly, based on the requirements of its users."
These are just some of the features that can be found on ITPvillage.com - to begin your virtual journey, follow the link: http://www.itpvillage.com
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit http://www.amgen.com.
[1] Gernsheimer T. Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura. European Journal of Haematology. 2008; 80:3-8.
Contact:
CONTACT: CONTACT: Amgen, Zug, Jetinder Dedyal
+44(0)7500-704750,jdedyal@amgen.com, Nehal Patel
+44(0)7931-929-392,npatel@hillandknowlton.com