Strasbourg, France (ots/PRNewswire) – the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) and World Kidney Day (WKD) organisations today call for urgent European Union (EU) action to curb the increasing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated diseases. the Members of European Parliament (MEP) Group for Kidney Health met with some of Europe’s top kidney experts at a lunch seminar in the European Parliament in Strasbourg held in honour of World Kidney Day, an annual global awareness raising campaign which this year falls on 10th March 2011. Mrs Frieda Brepoels, MEP, stated “Unfortunately, the fact that we are still confronted with so many people on dialysis, or on the waiting list for a donor organ, proves to a certain extent the inherent failure of our public health system. Transplantation is the last resort for people with chronic kidney disease. the Parliament’s recent work on quality and safety of transplantation and on the availability of donor organs has been important, but it is not enough. We should also focus on how we can prevent European citizens from needing transplantation in the first place.” Speaking at the seminar, Professor Andrew Rees, Chairman of the European Kidney Health Alliance, commented “We want to make policymakers aware of the importance of chronic kidney disease (CKD) to the health of Europe’s citizens. It is common – affecting one in 10 of the population – and not only predisposes to kidney failure but greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.” Premature cardiovascular disease is the biggest cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the important role of the kidneys in cardiovascular disease was explained by Prof. Colin Baigent, Professor of Epidemiology and Honorary Consultant in Public Health at the University of Oxford. “Some of the major causes of heart disease, particularly diabetes and high blood pressure, are also potent causes of kidney disease, so heart and kidney disease frequently occur together. as European populations get older, this deadly combination of diseases will become very common, so research into their prevention should be a public health priority.” in patients with CKD, cardiovascular disease may also be caused by a severe disorder of mineral and bone metabolism, which causes calcium release from bone and deposition in the blood vessels. this in turn may lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. the majority of an estimated 324,000 CKD patients on dialysis in Europe suffer from some degree of disordered mineral and bone metabolism. as well as the ageing population, recent trends in European lifestyles greatly increase the risk of developing chronic diseases, including CKD, and action to reverse them needs to be taken now if the targets set out in the Europe 2020 strategy are to be met, including the goal of having 75% of the working age population employed and productive. Tobacco use, high alcohol consumption, poor nutrition, obesity and lack of physical activity all contribute to the rising prevalence of CKD and related diseases. Professor Rees gave the example of a common healthy choice that everyone can make – drinking water instead of sugary carbonated drinks: “Many people don’t realise how many calories can be found in carbonated drinks which are typically sweetened with large amounts of fructose containing sugars that may contribute to CKD. People need to be aware that water rather than fizzy drinks is the healthy choice.” CKD patient Paul Jongen gave the audience an account of his experience with kidney disease and the effects it has had on his personal, professional and social life. Mr Jongen emphasized the key role of self-management in his dialysis treatment, explaining how Home Hemodialysis, especially at night, resulted in a better outcome for him. also illustrating the importance of self-management, and introducing e-health as a strand of technology which may aid self-management in CKD, Neil Turner, Professor of Nephrology at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, presented Renal PatientView, a website designed to allow patients access to their diagnosis, test results and other information about kidney disease, from anywhere in the world. “We introduced Renal PatientView cautiously, but the system has been enthusiastically received by not only patients, but also healthcare staff, and it is now available in the great majority of UK renal units, and has over 11,000 active users. It is inexpensive, and we have found that it has generated a group of patients who are much better educated about their condition.” EKHA called for increased recognition of CKD and related diseases in European policymaking, and for concrete action to tackle lifestyle factors that may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases. EKHA welcomes the recent Council conclusions on innovative approaches for chronic diseases in public health and healthcare systems and looks forward to the initiation of a reflection progress by the European Commission to identify options to optimize the response to the challenges of chronic diseases. the event in the European Parliament was supported by Amgen, Danone Research and Roche. Notes to editors: About the European Kidney Health Alliance the European Kidney Health Alliance (EKHA) is an Alliance of not-for-profit organisations who represent the key stakeholders in kidney health issues in Europe. EKHA takes a multidisciplinary approach involving patients and their families, doctors and nurses, researchers and other healthcare professionals who work cooperatively for a European health environment in which there is a sustained decrease in kidney disease and its consequences. About World Kidney Day World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of our kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. the campaign is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of March in more than 100 countries on 6 continents. 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, 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, bone disease, 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 vital medicines, visit amgen.com. About Danone Research Danone Research, a subsidiary of Danone group is at the core of the group’s mission : bringing health through food to as many people as possible. the Hydration and Health department aims at demonstrating the benefits of healthy hydration choices. Among others, hydration has a strong relationship with kidneys’ physiology and we believe that drinking enough water is a simple healthy habit everyone can take to sustain kidney health. danone.com About Roche Roche plays a pioneering role in healthcare. as an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, Roche contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is providing the first products that are tailored to the needs of specific patient groups. Roche’s mission today and tomorrow is to create added value in healthcare by focusing on our expertise in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs cancer, transplantation, and active in other major therapeutic areas with a high medical need such as autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, virology, metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is committed to meeting high ethical standards and complying with all applicable local, national and international laws wherever we do business. our ethical standards are embodied in our Corporate Principles. For more than 110 years Roche has played a pioneering role in healthcare. roche.com About CKD and its Symptoms Chronic Kidney Disease is the general name for persistent irreversible damage to the kidney. in its earliest stages, the kidneys may only have minor structural damage. often such damage tends to progress if undetected and untreated. one of the signs of early CKD is the presence of small amounts of protein in the urine.(1) more advanced CKD is characterised by progressively greater abnormalities in the chemical composition of the blood, anaemia – a cause of tiredness and shortness of breath, and bone abnormalities. the most advanced form of CKD occurs when the kidney has been nearly completely destroyed and treatment with dialysis or kidney transplantation is required for survival. many individuals with CKD do not progress to kidney failure and treatment has the twin objectives of correcting the abnormalities resulting from the kidney damage and of preventing progression to more advanced stages. the most common causes of CKD are diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis(2) and many factors contribute to its progression. Loss of albumin into the urine is one of these key factors and when this occurs, renal disease usually progresses to the end stage unless reversed by treatment. the growing prevalence of obesity-related type 2 diabetes coupled with the ageing population has increased the number of people with CKD or at risk of it.(3) References (1) de Jong PE, van der Velde M, Gansevoort, RT, Zoccali, Z.Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease: Where Does Europe Go? Clin J am Soc Nephrol 2008 3:616-623 (2) National Kidney Foundation, 2009, How Your Kidneys Work, kidney.org/kidneyDisease/howkidneyswrk.cfm#what (3) King H, Aubert RE, Herman WH. Global burden of diabetes, 1995-2025: prevalence, numerical estimates, and projections. Diabetes Care 1998; 21: 1414-1431. ots Originaltext: European Kidney Health Alliance Im Internet recherchierbar: presseportal.deContact: EKHA Media Queries, Anna Rouillard, +32-2-639-6230,; or WKD Media Queries, Sara Martin, +32-2-213-1398,, or Amgen Media Queries, Rachel Terry,+44-20-7300-6352, © 2011 news aktuell

GENEVA and BRUSSELS, January 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, will premiere today the international short film MS: It´s a Marathon…not a Sprint in Brussels, Belgium.

this unique event marks the extraordinary collaboration of the Real MS: Your Story competition winner Sarah Mead and award-winning director Robin Sheppard. Through the Real MS campaign, they have come together to produce a powerful and inspiring short film to show the world that life with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be redefined in a positive and fulfilling way.

“This has been an amazing experience and I have loved every minute, ” Sarah said. “Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis is not an easy thing, but I am proud to have been able to share my own personal experiences through this film and I hope that it inspires others and shows how much is possible when you put your heart and mind into achieving your goals. It takes courage and vision, but the rewards are immeasurable.”

Real MS: Your Story is the first element of an international campaign that aims to raise global awareness of MS and demonstrate how life can and could be improved for people living with MS, and their families and carers.

in recognition of the burden MS has on both people living with MS, their loved ones and the economy, several expert speakers in the field of MS convened at the premiere to discuss the issues surrounding MS, including inconsistencies in the standard of care and socioeconomic burden, and forge a way forward for patients and carers alike.

“Multiple sclerosis can be a debilitating disease, making patient support and disease awareness very important, ” said John Golding, President of the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP). “Stories such as that of Sarah Mead´s are incredibly inspirational for everyone in the multiple sclerosis community and we need to make sure that there are many, many more of these in the future.”

Sarah Mead´s winning script concept was selected from over 100 entries from around the world by an international judging panel made up of global experts in MS and film, including Dr Chan, Helena Jidborg Alexander (MS Trust), Sue Farringdon (MS Society), Del Thomas (MS Nurse), patient ambassador Nathalie Blanc and director Robin Sheppard.

The Real MS campaign comprises a series of inspirational educational competitions throughout 2010 and into 2011. Real MS hopes to give a voice to those whose lives have been touched by MS, and celebrate their journeys, achievements and ideas for the future management of the disease.

The unpredictability of MS means that people have to reinvent their lives every day to overcome the daily challenges and reminders of their condition. there may not yet be a cure, but effective treatments are available and other ones are coming which might change the life of patients. Ongoing research and development will hopefully empower people living with MS to get on with the life they envision for themselves without having to think about the daily difficulties that can remind them of the disease.

To find out more about the campaign and life with MS, and to access footage from the world premiere, please visit realmsvoices.com

Sarah Mead is a 40 year old woman from London who works for a software development consultancy.

Her entry “MS: It´s a Marathon…… not a Sprint” compares her real-life experience as a young woman training for the London Marathon, with the emotional and physical process that many people go through of accepting an MS diagnosis and learning to live again with multiple sclerosis.

About Real MS campaign

Real MS is an international campaign that aims to raise global awareness of the disease and demonstrate how life with MS can and should be better. Comprising inspirational educational competitions throughout 2010 and into 2011, the first campaign competition (Real MS: Your Story) aims to use the power of a short film to show the world that life with MS can be redefined in a positive and fulfilling way. The Real MS: Your Story competition is not open to US residents.

About multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the central nervous system and is the most common, non-traumatic, disabling neurological disease in young adults. It is estimated that approximately two million people have MS worldwide. while symptoms can vary, the most common symptoms of MS include blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the limbs and problems with strength and coordination. The relapsing forms of MS are the most common.

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. in the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated affiliate of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono has leading brands serving patients with cancer (Erbitux(R), cetuximab), multiple sclerosis (Rebif(R), interferon beta-1a), infertility (Gonal-f(R), follitropin alfa), endocrine and metabolic disorders (Saizen(R) and Serostim(R), somatropin), (Kuvan(R), sapropterin dihydrochloride) as well as cardiometabolic diseases (Glucophage(R), metformin), (Concor(R), bisoprolol), (Euthyrox(R), levothyroxine). not all products are available in all markets.

with an annual R&D expenditure of over EUR 1bn, Merck Serono is committed to growing its business in specialist-focused therapeutic areas including neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as new areas potentially arising out of research and development in rheumatology.

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with total revenues of EUR 7.7 billion in 2009, a history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by approximately 40,000 (including Merck Millipore) employees in 64 countries. its success is characterized by innovations from entrepreneurial employees. Merck´s operating activities come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70% interest and free shareholders own the remaining approximately 30%. in 1917 the U.S. subsidiary Merck & co. was expropriated and has been an independent company ever since.

For more information, please visit merckserono.com or merck.de

Merck Serono is a division of Merck.

Merck Serono