Consumers Want to Know Their Options Amid Vioxx Recall
And Concerns About Systemic Drug Side Effects
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Responding to the
enormous consumer demand for information on alternate osteoarthritis (OA)
treatment options, Smith & Nephew's (NYSE: SNN; LSE: SN) Orthopaedics division
has introduced a toll-free information line and web site that provides details
on a non-systemic option called "joint fluid therapy."
The toll-free line, 1-866-KNEE-RELIEF (866-563-3735), and web site,
http://www.supartz.com/rightnow , were established to respond to the flood of
questions and concerns among patients following the withdrawal of Vioxx from
the market and scrutiny of other drugs developed for the treatment of OA pain.
The toll-free message, narrated by Dr. Edward Miller, Emeritus Professor
of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine,
explains that joint fluid therapy is a non-systemic, localized therapy for
knee OA, which is a localized disease.
The web site additionally includes a doctor referral link and a more
technical description of Smith & Nephew's joint fluid therapy treatment,
called Supartz(R), which is a physician-prescribed therapy approved by the FDA
for knee OA.
"There is a huge void of information about the options still available for
OA patients," Dr. Miller explains. "Joint fluid therapy offers hope for the
more than 14.5 million Americans dealing with knee OA, which is 50% of the
total OA population."
Joint fluid therapy was developed based on the finding that the
protective, lubricating and pain relieving properties of joint fluid are
diminished in osteoarthritis patients. Joint fluid therapy is administered by
removing the diseased joint fluid and replacing it with a fluid that has
improved physical properties (viscosity and elasticity). Clinical trials show
that a course of treatment can provide long-lasting pain relief, with
effectiveness similar to -- or better than -- that of non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs, like COX-2 drugs such as Vioxx.
Supartz, which has proven as safe as a placebo in clinical trials, has
more hyaluronan -- the active ingredient -- than any other available joint
fluid therapy. More than 119 million treatments of Supartz have been
prescribed to date, making Supartz the most-used joint fluid therapy
worldwide.
"We are encouraging knee OA patients to ask their doctors about joint
fluid therapy and Supartz," says Scott Flora, Senior Vice President and
General Manager of the Trauma Division at Smith & Nephew Orthopedics.
"Patients get excited when they realize there is a safe and effective
alternative to systemic drug therapies."
Smith & Nephew will be expanding its consumer outreach efforts in the
months to come, building awareness through education.
"I believe that local treatment for local disease represents the future of
OA, because in most patients, OA is a local disease," says Dr. Miller. "Joint
fluid therapy like Supartz is inherently safer because it is not associated
with the potentially life-threatening effects experienced by some patients
taking commonly-prescribed drugs."
About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN; LSE: SN) ( http://www.smith-nephew.com ) is one
of the world's leading medical devices companies, specializing in
Orthopaedics, Endoscopy and Advanced Wound Management. Smith & Nephew is one
of the fastest growing full-line orthopaedics companies in the world, ranks as
the global leader in arthroscopy and one of the world's leading advanced wound
management companies.
Smith & Nephew is dedicated to helping improve people's lives. The company
prides itself in the strength of its relationships with its surgeon and
healthcare professional customers, with whom its name is synonymous with the
highest standards of performance, innovation and trust. The company has more
than 7,000 employees and operates in 32 countries around the world, and in
2003, generated sales of nearly $2 billion.
SOURCE Smith & Nephew
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Related links:
http://www.smith-nephew.com
http://www.supartz.com/rightnow
CONTACT:
Victor Rocha of Smith & Nephew,
+1-901-399-6771, Victor.rocha@smith-nephew.com
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