Novo Nordisk, which has been continuing its R&D activities in the field of hemophilia for 32 years in the world, has been working to increase the quality of life of hemophilic individuals in Turkey for 20 years. Stating that they aim to improve human life with treatments that shape the future, Novo Nordisk Vice President and Turkey General Manager Dr. Burak Cem said, “We want to help increase awareness of the disease and support for hemophilia treatment in our treatment areas.”
Hemophilia, a genetically inherited chronic bleeding disorder, is a rare and lifelong disease. There are approximately 420 thousand hemophilic individuals in the world and more than 6 thousand in Turkey. These individuals have a lifelong tendency to bleed, and recommended treatments must be applied continuously to prevent bleeding. Today, it is possible for hemophilic individuals who carry out their treatment regularly to lead a quality life.
Unlike congenital hemophilia, which is a genetic disease, there is also an acquired type of hemophilia that develops later. Acquired hemophilia is a disease that occurs mostly in adulthood, especially in the elderly, and progresses with an increased bleeding tendency. Since it is even rarer than congenital hemophilia, the awareness of acquired hemophilia in the society and even among physicians is extremely low.
Noting that this disease is of vital importance because bleeding is usually difficult to control, Prof. Dr. Muhlis Cem Ar made the following statement:
“Awareness of acquired hemophilia must be increased. Acquired hemophilia is a serious disease that occurs suddenly in adulthood in people who have not had a bleeding or coagulation disorder before, with sudden onset and unexplained bleeding. It occurs as a result of the person starting to see one of the clotting proteins in his blood as foreign and developing an antibody against this clotting protein to destroy it. Usually, following events such as infection or childbirth, the immune system begins to destroy its own clotting proteins with a false warning, and this leads to bleeding. As you can see from here, it is not a congenital disease. It turns out later; It occurs when the immune system mistakenly mistook the coagulation proteins as foreign and attacks them.
In these people, there may be widespread skin bleeding, bleeding from the mouth and nose, and sometimes no signs of bleeding can be seen until ‘they encounter a serious trauma or undergo a surgical procedure’. Although bleedings sometimes occur as mild superficial bruises, it is possible to encounter conditions such as limb loss due to severe soft tissue hemorrhages or death due to bleeding in vital organs such as lungs, stomach and brain. For this reason, especially febrile infections or bruises on the skin that are noticed during or after pregnancy or appear suddenly for no reason, increased bleeding tendency should be taken seriously and a physician should be consulted for examination. Acquired hemophilia can be diagnosed easily with some simple tests. Remember, acquired hemophilia is a treatable disease that can lead to serious and life-threatening bleeding if it is delayed. The important thing is that the diagnosis is made as soon as possible.”
“We Have Been Working for Hemophilic Individuals for 32 Years”
Novo Nordisk, which has been continuing its R&D activities uninterruptedly for 32 years in the world so that hemophilic individuals can live a quality life, has been working to increase the quality of life of hemophilic individuals in Turkey for 20 years. Dr. Burak Cem said, “We want to help increase disease awareness and treatment support in the field of hemophilia. “We believe that improved joint health and mobility are essential to breaking the boundaries of hemophilic individuals.” Dr. Burak Cem gave the following information about the disease and his work in this field:
“Hamophilia is a disease in which fewer healthcare professionals specialize than other branches, and its treatment requires experience. Hemophilic individuals face obstacles in their lives. It is known that 89 of these people are suffering from pain caused by the disease, 48 of them are worried about starting a family in the future, and 80 of them are having trouble finding a job.
As Novo Nordisk, we actively maintain our dedication to producing therapeutic solutions for rare bleeding disorders through our R&D studies, as well as our recombinant factors and non-factorial treatment options. We are working to offer a wide and powerful portfolio to Turkish physicians and hemophilic individuals by incorporating innovative products we have developed for different bleeding disorders such as FVIII, FIX, FXIII deficiency, as well as hemophilia with inhibitors, and we aim to reduce the burden of these individuals with long-acting factor preparations. We believe that we have made a difference in terms of ensuring that hemophilic individuals in Turkey receive the best treatment and take part in life.”
Stating that Novo Nordisk is working to improve the life of patients in addition to improving the treatment of hemophilia, Dr. Burak Cem talked about the activities:
“Novo Nordisk has an organization for hemophilia and rare bleeding disorders, founded in 2005 through the International Novo Nordisk Hemophilia Foundation, a non-profit. To date, 250 training and development programs have been supported in 73 countries. Thanks to these supports, 41,500 health personnel were trained and more than 42,500 hemophilic individuals were reached. It also has collaborations with patient NGOs such as the World Hemophilia Federation and the European Hemophilia Consortium. Novo Nordisk unconditionally supports an international platform called HERO (Hamophilia Experience, Outcome and Opportunities). Significant progress has been achieved in our country at the level of social awareness with many valuable efforts. Health professionals, associations and pharmaceutical companies have come a long way in recent years. We believe that with education, awareness will increase, and diagnosis, diagnosis and treatment methods will improve and therefore the quality of life of all patients who need treatment will increase.”
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
