Baxter Marks World Hemophilia Day by Reinforcing Commitment to Addressing Disparities in Care and Sharing New Vision for the Future

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Press Release:

	Tweet Apr 16, 2013 — DEERFIELD, Ill. - Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) today announced its continued commitment to the hemophilia community to close the gap in hemophilia care and the company's vision to pursue a bleed-free world for people living with this debilitating disorder on World Hemophilia Day. Approximately 400,000 people worldwide are living with hemophilia,1 with an estimated 75 percent remaining undiagnosed and receiving inadequate care or no care at all.2 To address these disparities in care, Baxter continues its role as the founding sponsor of the World Federation of Hemophilia's (WFH) Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) program. This healthcare development project, now in its 11th year, aims to greatly increase the diagnosis and treatment of people with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders in developing countries. Since the program's initiation in 2003, more than 93,000 people in 20 countries have been diagnosed with bleeding disorders (approximately 56,000 with hemophilia).3 Baxter has donated more than 16 million international units of product over the past three years through its humanitarian aid partners, the WFH and AmeriCares to provide factor replacement treatment in developing countries where it may not otherwise be available. "Initiatives such as GAP and treatment donation programs are invaluable in helping the World Federation of Hemophilia improve access to care for people with hemophilia around the world," said Alain Weill, WFH President. "The improvement in care has been so remarkable in the past 50 years that patients in many countries can live their lives without bleeds, and as we look to the future, we want to ensure all patients have access to the care they need." For more than 60 years, Baxter has been a dedicated partner to the hemophilia community and is committed to helping each patient achieve a life without bleeds. For people with hemophilia, reducing their bleeding episodes (measured by annual bleed rate (ABR)) may have a significant improvement on long-term outcomes and quality of life. Data from a multi-national study conducted by Baxter showed that children with severe hemophilia A receiving prophylaxis therapy with zero ABR (n=23/470, 4.9 percent) reported excellent joint function, no impact on school/work productivity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) similar to a healthy population.4 To help patients reach this goal, online educational materials and tools are available at: www.thereforyou.com. Each patient can move towards the goal of living without bleeds working with a healthcare provider to make an individualized plan to achieve and maintain a low ABR. Personalized approaches to hemophilia management, including monitoring and tracking ABR, may help clinicians and patients prevent and reduce bleeding episodes. "The 50th anniversary of the WFH is a milestone that signifies remarkable progress made in the lives of patients living with hemophilia," said Brian Goff, leader of Baxter's global hemophilia organization. "Baxter's vision for the future is the pursuit of a bleed-free world, one patient at a time, working with the hemophilia community to help redefine what may be possible for those living with bleeding disorders." About World Hemophilia Day World Hemophilia Day occurs each year on April 17. Since its creation in 1989, in honor of the World Federation of Hemophilia's founder, Frank Schnabel, World Hemophilia Day has served as an opportunity to increase awareness of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders and their impact on the global community. About Hemophilia A & B Hemophilia is a rare genetic blood clotting disorder that primarily affects males.5 People living with hemophilia do not have enough of, or are missing, one of the blood clotting proteins naturally found in blood.5 Two of the most common forms of hemophilia are A and B.5 In people with hemophilia A, clotting factor VIII is not present in sufficient amounts or is absent.5 Without enough FVIII, people with hemophilia can experience spontaneous, uncontrolled internal bleeding that is painful, debilitating, damaging to joints and potentially fatal.1,5 People with hemophilia B (also called Christmas disease) do not have sufficient amounts of clotting factor IX.5 In about 30 percent of cases, there is no family history of hemophilia and the condition is the result of a spontaneous gene mutation.6 According to the World Federation of Hemophilia, more than 400,000 people in the world have hemophilia.1 All races and economic groups are affected equally.7 About Baxter in Hemophilia Baxter has more than 60 years experience in hemophilia and has introduced a number of therapeutic firsts for hemophilia patients. Baxter has the broadest portfolio of hemophilia treatments in the industry and is able to meet individual therapy choices, providing a range of options at each treatment stage. The company's work is focused on optimizing hemophilia care and improving the lives of people living with hemophilia A and B worldwide. About Baxter International Inc. Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other chronic and acute medical conditions. As a global, diversified healthcare company, Baxter applies a unique combination of expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to create products that advance patient care worldwide. 1World Federation of Hemophilia. Treatment. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=642 2World Federation of Hemophilia. Close the Gap. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=1391 3Global Alliance for Progress (GAP) 2012 Summary Report and Results. Prepared by WFH. December 2012. 4Haemophilia: Special Issue. Abstracts of the 6th Annual Congress of the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders, 6-8 February 2013, Warsaw, Poland. Volume 19, Issue Supplement s2, PO 033, page 20. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hae.12083/pdf 5About Bleeding Disorders: Frequently Asked Questions. World Federation of Hemophilia. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=637 6About Bleeding Disorders: How Do You Get Hemophilia? World Federation of Hemophilia. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=644 7Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Hemophilia. Accessed April 2013. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/facts.html

	For more information: http://www.baxter.com/press_room/press_releases/2013/04_16_13_world_hemophilia_day.html

	Tags: hemophilia, healthcare, treatment, global alliance for progress (gap), WFH, AmeriCares

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