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Media Center Overview
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New Pediatrician Education Program Launched to Increase Awareness and Improve Diagnosis of Immunodeficiencies in Children
American Academy of Pediatrics, Jeffrey Modell Foundation, and Talecris Biotherapeutics collaborate to provide program for pediatricians
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL., NEW YORK, N.Y., and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (Oct. 26, 2006) – The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF), and Talecris Biotherapeutics (Talecris) jointly announced today the launch of a new continuing medical education program to increase awareness and speed diagnosis of primary immune deficiencies in children. The program, entitled "Immunodeficiency in Pediatrics," is supported through grants from JMF and Talecris, and is available in CD-ROM format as Volume 1, Issue 10 of AAP's innovative PREP® Audio continuing medical education (CME) series. The grants provided by Talecris and JMF allow the "Immunodeficiency in Pediatrics" program to be made available for free to approximately 35,000 subscribers of Pediatrics in Review. The CD-ROM is provided as part of an ad for the larger PREP® Audio series in the October issue.
A panel consisting of Rebecca H. Buckley, M.D., F.A.A.P, the J. Buren Sidbury Professor of Pediatrics, and Professor of Immunology at Duke University Medical Center; Melvin Berger, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.P., Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology at Case Western Reserve University; and Thomas A. Fleisher, M.D., F.A.A.P., Chief, Department of Laboratory Medicine at the National Institutes of Health discussed "Immunodeficiency in Pediatrics" for this CME program. "This program provides some very useful information for pediatricians who may be encountering challenging patient cases that could be a primary immune deficiency," said Dr. Buckley. "Given that the time for accurate diagnosis averages longer than nine years from the time of a first infection, this program can help provide an earlier alert for pediatricians to consider the possibility of a primary immune deficiency, and make a referral that will lead to faster diagnosis."
The discussion also included insights into the fact that primary immune deficiencies may be more common than previously thought, and that pediatricians need to have a high degree of suspicion when evaluating certain key signs and symptoms, such as recurrent or resistant infection in their patients. This increased vigilance can then result in steps leading to more rapid diagnosis.
Fred Modell, who, with his wife Vicki, co-founded the Jeffrey Modell Foundation, commented on the importance of collaborative efforts to improve disease awareness and diagnosis. "From our perspective, this is an outstanding example of an effective collaboration that benefits patients. Bringing together the passion and unique contributions of leaders from academia, industry, and the patient community creates the best opportunity to advance care and improve outcomes. If this collaboration can speed diagnosis and get patients to effective treatment more quickly, then it has accomplished a very important goal for children and their families."
Alberto Martinez, M.D., President and CEO of Talecris Biotherapeutics, reinforced Mr. Modell's comments. "As a leading provider of therapies that treat primary immune deficiencies, Talecris recognizes and acts on its corporate responsibility to support programs complementary to the therapeutic outcomes we strive to achieve through our product offerings. As a pediatrician, I am particularly pleased that this project has the potential to improve awareness and recognition of primary immune deficiencies in children, leading to earlier institution of therapy."
For more information on the "Immunodeficiency in Pediatrics" program or the PREP® Audio series, contact the American Academy of Pediatrics at 866-843-2271, or visit www.prepaudio.org.
Contacts:
Lacy McMahon, Talecris Biotherapeutics
919-316-6316
lacy.mcmahon@talecris.com
Alexandra Dattelbaum, Jeffrey Modell Foundation
212-819-0200
adattelbaum@jmfworld.org
Kim FitzSimmons, American Academy of Pediatrics
847-434-4342
kfitzsimmons@aap.org
About the American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
The AAP is the leading publisher in the field of pediatrics. With titles in both print and electronic formats, AAP publications cover all areas of health care for children, including scholarly journals and professional periodicals, consumer health titles, patient education materials and clinical references. The AAP publishes PREP Audio, a new CME audio series from the trusted family of PREP (Pediatric Review and Education Program) products. More information on the AAP can be found at www.aap.org.
About the Jeffrey Modell Foundation
The Jeffrey Modell Foundation was established in 1987 by Vicki and Fred Modell in memory of their son Jeffrey, who died at the age of 15 of a PI disease. The mission of the Foundation includes research, physician education, patient support, government advocacy, and public awareness of primary immunodeficiencies. The organization's focus is: To affirm its absolute commitment to clinical and basic research in order to better understand and treat Primary Immunodeficiencies; To serve as a national and international source for the dissemination of information and education into the diagnosis and treatment of genetic immunodeficiencies; To serve as a tireless, compassionate advocate on behalf of patients and families to assure their access to excellent and comprehensive care; To promote public awareness of the Primary Immunodeficiency diseases through programs involving our lawmakers as well as lay, scientific, and medical communities; To affirm its commitment to turn pain, despair and suffering of immunodeficient children and adults into comfort and hope. More information on PI can be found at www.info4pi.org or by calling 1-866-INFO-4-PI.
About Talecris Biotherapeutics Talecris Biotherapeutics is a global biotherapeutic and biotechnology company that discovers, develops and produces critical care treatments for people with life-threatening disorders in a variety of therapeutic areas including immunology, pulmonology, and hemostasis. Talecris is proudly building upon a 60-year legacy of innovation and a commitment to improving the lives of people who rely on its therapeutic products. With an emphasis on scientific inquiry and technological excellence, Talecris is expanding its current portfolio of products, programs, and services through its own world-class product development organization as well as through strategic initiatives that leverage its strengths with those of its partners.
Talecris, which earned revenues exceeding $1 billion through the year ending June 30, 2006, is headquartered in biotech hub Research Triangle Park, N.C., and employs more than 2,000 talented people worldwide. To learn more about Talecris and how our employees are making a difference in the lives of patients and the healthcare community, visit www.talecris.com.
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