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More than medicines

Posted by
Elisabeth Dohin, Patient Value Unit - Neurology
11-Oct-2016
At UCB, we are working to develop and deliver medicines that improve quality of life for people with severe diseases. But our commitment to address unmet need in ways that patient communities value goes beyond drugs solutions - and we know this is greatly appreciated.

I have just returned from the 4th World Parkinson’s Disease Congress in Portland, Oregon. This important event provided us with an opportunity to showcase our holistic approach to the disease.

One of the posters we presented focused on the findings of the STEPTM research*,  initiative which helps to understand the full lived experience of Parkinson’s disease. This, in turn, can improve patient outcomes by addressing what matters most to them. (Read more here)

The research finds that the prevailing clinical definitions can over-simplify the complex reality of life with PD. It puts greater emphasis on understanding the more complex physical, mental, society and emotional aspects of the condition.

The response we received from attendees at the WPC was inspiring and confirmed that we are taking the right approach.

Many of those who stopped to chat with us about our STEPTM poster  were caregivers working in patient support programs or caring for family members living with PD.

Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with several people saying that this classification chimes with their experience of the disease: “This is profound,” said one woman who is a caregiver and works with people with Parkinson’s.

It was heartening to hear such a warm reaction to our work. Some were actually surprised that the initiative had been sponsored by a pharmaceutical company; they asked whether UCB would continue to support this kind of "atypical" research.

The answer is "yes". We remain fully committed to supporting patients and improving their lives - whether that means bringing them medicines that alleviate symptoms, raising disease awareness, finding novel ways for patients and health professionals to communicate, or moving medical science forward.

This is what it means to be Inspired by Patients. Driven by Science.

STEP™ is a registered trademark of the UCB Group of Companies. © 2012 UCB, Inc. All rights reserved.
This research was conducted by Idea Couture, a Cognizant Digital Works company.

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