Merck Serono Supports 7th International Thyroid Awareness Week to Unmask Hypothyroidism

PR60623

DARMSTADT, Germany, May 26 /PRN=KYODO JBN/ -

Hypothyroidism is a disease affecting millions which often goes unrecognized  

Symptoms of hypothyroidism often mistaken for other diseases  

Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck, today announced the

support of 7th International Thyroid Awareness Week (ITAW). This year's

campaign launched today for ITAW is aimed at alerting millions of people across

the world that they could be unknowingly living with a debilitating and

potentially fatal condition. The condition called hypothyroidism affects just

under 4% of the general population, however the prevalence is estimated to be

much higher. Hypothyroidism occurs due to an under-active thyroid gland, which

fails to produce enough thyroid hormones (thyroxine and

triiodothyronine).[1],[2]

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Low levels of these hormones can cause slowing of heart rate, feeling tired and

physically cold, having trouble with constipation.[1] Depression and weight

gain are also very common symptoms.[1] In addition, fertility can be adversely

affected.[3] An underactive thyroid gland, when left untreated, can in extreme

cases eventually lead to coma and even death.[1],[4]

The new campaign is supported by Merck Serono together with Thyroid Federation

International (TFI), and will run during International Thyroid Awareness Week,

which takes place from May 25 to 31, 2015. The campaign is entitled

HYPOTHRYOIDISM - UNMASKING THE CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS.

Ashok Bhaseen, President of Thyroid Federation International, said: "Thyroid

disease is very common with an estimated 300 million currently affected and 1.6

billion people at risk of thyroid conditions globally. It is estimated that

over 50% of those affected could be unaware of it."

He added: "The thyroid is a small organ, but it has a big impact.

Hypothyroidism causes a great deal of suffering with many people just putting

up with the symptoms. I personally welcome this awareness campaign to shine a

light on hypothyroid disease and reduce the unnecessary suffering that too many

are enduring every day."

Part of the campaign will emphasize that recognizing hypothyroidism is

difficult because the symptoms can be easily explained away or be masquerading

as another disease.[4]

Thyroid disorders are ten times more common in women than in men[5] and there

are certain times in a woman's life that make her more vulnerable to thyroid

disorders,[1] such as during pregnancy[6],[7] and menopause.[8]

The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of hypothyroidism to encourage

people to recognize the symptoms and seek medical help.

Meeta Gulyani, Head of Strategy and Global Franchises at Merck's

biopharmaceutical division Merck Serono said: "Merck Serono is delighted to be

part of the International Thyroid Awareness Week which is now an established

and highly regarded global awareness campaign endorsed by the American Thyroid

Association (ATA), the European Thyroid Association (ETA), the Latin American

Thyroid Society (LATS) and the Chinese Society of Endocrinology (CSE)."

"Our mission at Merck Serono is to transform lives through medical science and

patients' needs are central to all we do. We are proud to be raising awareness

of hypothyroidism in this campaign with the aim of reducing suffering for many

people," she added.

The initiatives website has been updated with this year's campaign and provides

further information on thyroid diseases in general including hypothyroidism

http://www.thyroidweek.com

About Thyroid Federation International (TFI)

Thyroid Federation International first convened in Toronto at the 11th

International Thyroid Congress in September 1995. Diana Meltzer Abramsky, who

in 1980 founded the Thyroid Foundation of Canada in Kingston, Ontario Canada,

first advocated the vision of a world thyroid patient organization to deal with

the problems of thyroid disease in a global perspective. Since then the

Federation has grown to include thyroid organizations in many parts of the

world, including Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan. TFI is

an independent, worldwide network of patient-support organizations. The

Federation works together for the benefit of those affected by thyroid

disorders by providing information and raising awareness, by encouraging and

assisting the formation of patient-oriented groups, and by working closely with

the medical professions. TFI has a Medical Advisory Board, which consists of

some of the most eminent thyroid specialists in the world. For more

information, please visit http://www.thyroid-fed.org/tfi-wp/

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical business of Merck. With headquarters in

Darmstadt, Germany, Merck Serono offers leading brands in 150 countries to help

patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic

disorders as well as cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada,

EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription

medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. We

have an enduring commitment to deliver novel therapies in our core focus areas

of neurology, oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com.

All Merck Press Releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become

available on the Merck Website. Please go to

http://www.merckgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection

or discontinue this service.

Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality high-tech products in

healthcare, life science and performance materials. The company has six

businesses - Merck Serono, Consumer Health, Allergopharma, Biosimilars, Merck

Millipore and Performance Materials - and generated sales of around EUR11.3

billion in 2014. Around 39,000 Merck employees work in 66 countries to improve

the quality of life for patients, to foster the success of customers and to

help meet global challenges. Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and

chemical company - since 1668, the company has stood for innovation, business

success and responsible entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70%

interest, the founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this

day. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, holds the global rights to the Merck name and

brand. The only exceptions are Canada and the United States, where the company

operates as EMD Serono, EMD Millipore and EMD Performance Materials.

References:

1. British Thyroid Foundation. Your Thyroid Gland. Available at:

http://www.btf-thyroid.org/index.php/thyroid. Last accessed March 2015.

2. Aoki Y, et al. 2007. Serum TSH and total T4 in the United States population

and their association with participant characteristics: National Health and

Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2002). Thyroid. 17(12):1211-23. doi:

10.1089/thy.2006.0235.

3. British Thyroid Foundation. Hypothyroidism. Available at:

http://www.btf-thyroid.org/index.php/thyroid/quick-guide-index/hypothyroidism.

Last Accessed March 2015

4. Garber JR, et al. 2012. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hypothyroidism in

Adults: Cosponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

and the American Thyroid Association. Available at:

http://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-guidelines/hypothyroidism/. Last accessed March

2015.

5. British Thyroid Association. 2006. UK Guidelines for the Use of Thyroid

Function Tests. Available at:

http://www.british-thyroid-association.org/info-for-patients/Docs/TFT_guideline_final_version_July_2006.pdf.

Last accessed March 2015.

6. National Women's Health Resource Center. 2006. Thyroid Disorder and Women.

Available at:

http://www.healthywomen.org/sites/default/files/nwhrc_fastfacts_thyroiddisease.pdf.

Last accessed March 2015.

7. The Endocrine Society. Management of Thyroid Dysfunction During Pregnancy

and Postpartum: an Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin

Endocrinol Metab, 97: 2543-2565, 2012.

8. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. 2013. Thyroid Hormone

Missing from Menopause Discussion for Millions of Women. Available at:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thyroid-hormone-missing-from-menopause-discussion-for-millions-of-women-73403307.html.

Last accessed March 2015.

SOURCE: Merck Serono