A NEW NATIONWIDE HEALTH INITIATIVE TO BE LAUNCHED

"Oops" BOTHERED BY BLADDER WEAKNESS?

6^th September 2004 sees the launch of the first ever National Continence Check-up (NCC-up), a unique check-up guide for bladder weakness in the form of a scratch card.  The NCC-up is a national awareness campaign that will help alert women (and men!) to one of the most common health conditions facing them today.  The launch of the NCC-up will coincide with the forthcoming National Continence Awareness Week 13^th - 19^th September 2004 hosted by The Continence Foundation. ¹

Jointly developed by TENA, In Contact ² and The Continence Foundation and supported by Dr. Chris Steele (GP and resident doctor on ITV's 'This Morning' programme), the NCC-up aims to tackle the taboo associated with bladder weakness thereby encouraging those "coping" with it or the undiagnosed to seek help and manage the condition - one which affects over four million women and men in the UK³ .

The easy to use scratch card will be available in over 2,000 pharmacies including Moss & the independent pharmacy sector or by calling the TENA helpline on 0845 30 80 80 30. It is spilt according to an age and sex profile, taking into account the different levels of bladder weakness, and provides important information and support on the most appropriate bladder weakness product along with advice on alternative courses of action to take, such as kegel exercise.  The NCC-up has been designed to encourage women to discuss the issue and break down the barriers surrounding the condition.

According to Dr. Chris Steele:

" Bladder weakness is an issue that I am passionate about destigmatising.  I support the National Continence Check - up and encourage anyone, whatever their experience of the problem, to use it.  The more comfortable everyone is talking about the issue, the better able we are to provide support and advice to help make life as normal as possible ."

New shocking research commissioned by TENA shows that bladder weakness affects women of all ages and 60% of those surveyed do not seek help or discuss the issue with a healthcare professional claiming their 'little accidents' are too infrequent.  Yet most women felt their bladder weakness impacted upon their quality of life and self-esteem in many ways:

• 47% of women admitted their weakness affects their involvement in social events ³
• 46% from participating in any form of exercise ³
• Some women even admitted to withdrawing from social situations completely due to fear of a potentially embarrassing situation ³

The survey also revealed that women who discuss the issue are talking to their husbands, friends or relatives rather than a GP, practice nurse, continence advisor or pharmacist who can provide a more reliable source of information and support.  With 12,000 community pharmacies across the UK help is never far away.

The benefits of participating in the National Continence Check-up initiative are twofold.  It will help to raise awareness of bladder weakness to help normalise the topic area and tackle the taboo head-on. It will also act as a catalyst to increase the interaction between pharmacists, continence advisors and patients. People who complete the NCC-up will be offered a free sample of the most suitable bladder weakness product from the TENA range including a guide to bladder weakness symptoms, products, next steps and a money off coupon.

For further information, contact: Kellie Delaney Isaacs or Natalie Fraser on 020 7368 6388 or email kdisaacs@ozonecomms.co.uk or nfraser@ozonecomms.co.uk

References:

¹ www.continence-foundation.org.uk: National charity dedicated to helping people with bladder or bowel problems
² www.incontact.org: The leading UK organisation providing information and support for people affected by bowel and bladder problems

³ TNS Research April 2004

Notes

• The NCC-up can be picked up from your local pharmacy.  Alternatively contact the TENA helpline on 0845 30 80 80 30 or visit www.tena.co.uk <http://www.tena.co.uk/ > .
• TENA is the UK 's leading manufacturer of incontinence protection with specially designed protection pads available for all types of bladder weakness. A TENA advice booklet with information on the pilates based Kegel exercises (for the pelvic floor muscles) can be obtained by visiting www.tena.co.uk . These exercises can be undertaken in conjunction with wearing TENA pads for added security and peace of mind.
• The Continence Foundation is launching National Continence Awareness Week from 13^th -19^th September 2004 .  They are a national charity who has launched a free leaflet offering advice about an embarrassing but widespread female problem.  The leaflet contains information about pelvic floor exercises and a number of treatment options that can be tried if the exercises do not work.  It also highlights the importance of choosing the right absorbent products to manage the condition.  Call The Continence Foundation confidentially on 0845 345 0165 (9.30-1.00 Monday to Friday) or email continence-help@dial.pipex.com .  Registered charity number: 1014429
• In Contact is the leading UK charity caring for people with bladder & bowel problems.  The organisation provides information and support to people affected by these taboo conditions, as well as their carers and the health professionals who look after them.  Committed to raising awareness and improving the understanding of continence issues, they provide a large range of user friendly booklets, factsheets, hosted online chats, local group meetings, a penpals scheme and a quarterly magazine.  Call In Contact confidentially on 0870 770 3426 (9-5 Monday to Friday), email info@incontact.org or visit www.incontact.org .  Registered charity number: 1085095

·       Bladder Weakness can be caused by a variety of reasons including:

• Weakened pelvic floor muscles, commonly caused by pregnancy or obesity
• Menopause
• Nerve damage
• Constipation
• Certain medicines
• Smokers' cough

New drug therapy for Stress Incontinence

Yentreve / Ariclaim Now Approved Throughout the European Union for the Treatment of Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women

First and Only Pharmaceutical Widely Approved for Medical Condition Affecting Millions of Women Worldwide

Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) (duloxetine hydrochloride) have been granted marketing authorization throughout the European Union (EU) by the European Commission for the treatment of moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.

"The approval of Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) is very welcome as to date there have been no drugs specifically developed and approved for use in women with stress urinary incontinence," said Professor Linda Cardozo, Professor of Urogynaecology at King's College Hospital , London , UK . "Many women fail to comply with pelvic floor exercises, especially in the longer term, and are unwilling to undergo surgery for a variety of reasons. For them, and for the clinicians who see such women, Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) will help to bridge the treatment gap by increasing the available therapeutic options and hopefully improving the quality of life of many women."

Ten studies involving more than 2,000 women with SUI across five continents have demonstrated that Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) effectively reduces the frequency of incontinence episodes by up to 53%(4) and is generally well tolerated with mild to moderate and manageable side effects, the most common of which is transient nausea(6).

Studies show that Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) is a balanced dual reuptake inhibitor of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine(5), neurotransmitters which are believed to play key roles in the normal closure of the urethral sphincter, the muscle that -- if weakened -- can cause SUI(5, 7). By increasing neurotransmitter concentration, Yentreve(R) / Ariclaim(R) is believed to increase the tone and contraction of the urethral sphincter, which helps prevent accidental urine leakage due to physical activities such as sneezing, coughing, laughing, lifting or exercising.

Stress Urinary Incontinence

With nearly twice the prevalence as urge incontinence, SUI is the most common form of urinary incontinence in women. Although common, SUI is a medical condition that is not normal at any age and causes embarrassment and even social isolation, which may have a profound negative impact on the quality of life of the affected individuals. Even though many women are bothered by their symptoms of SUI, they often do not seek appropriate medical attention because they are embarrassed or they believe it is a normal part of aging. Several risk factors or contributing variables to the development of SUI have been suggested over the last decade and include childbirth, obesity, pelvic organ prolapse or chronic coughing(8). Presently available treatment options include behavioral therapy, pelvic floor muscle training and surgery.

(19/8/04)