GSK unveils campaign to help prevent meningitis
Posted: August 5, 2016
Issued: 5 August 2016, Philadelphia, PA
Parents, young adults urged to educate themselves about meningitis B, responsible for one-third of U.S. cases[1]
GSK (LSE: GSK) today launched an educational campaign to help raise awareness of meningitis, a rare but potentially deadly disease. Most teens and young adults have not received the vaccines needed to help protect against all five vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis.[2] The campaign, Take 5 for Meningitis, will use news media, social media and educational events to help educate parents and young adults about meningitis and urge them to talk to their healthcare provider about vaccination to help prevent it.
There are five vaccine-preventable groups of meningitis—A, B, C, W, and Y—and two types of vaccines to help protect against these groups. While most young people (70 percent) have received the vaccine that helps protect against meningitis groups A, C, W and Y, less than 10 percent have received the vaccine to that helps prevent against meningitis B. Meningitis B causes approximately 30 percent of the cases of meningococcal disease in the U.S.[3] and meningitis B vaccination is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for young people ages 16-23 years. The Take 5 campaign is intended to help increase immunization rates against meningitis B[4].
Jamie Schanbaum, a U.S. Paralympic cyclist and meningitis survivor, helped launch the campaign along with world-renowned photographer Anne Geddes and Dr. Len Friedland, Vice President, Director Scientific Affairs and Public Health, Vaccines North America for GSK, at BlogHer 2016 in Los Angeles, an annual conference of more than 3,500 bloggers and media.
“I was in my first semester at my dream college when I learned one of the hardest lessons of my life. What I first thought was the flu turned out to be meningitis and I ended up losing all of my fingers and both legs below the knees.” said Schanbaum. “When it comes to meningitis, what you don’t know can hurt you. That’s why I have joined with GSK in this effort to educate others about meningitis. I urge everyone to take five minutes to learn the facts and what they can do to help prevent it.”
One in 10 people infected with meningitis B will die, while one in five survivors will suffer long-term disability, such as loss of limbs, brain damage, deafness and nervous system problems[5].
“While vaccines are the best way to help prevent this rare but potentially devastating disease, knowledge is power in this case,” said Dr. Friedland. “Research shows that 88 percent of parents whose children have received a meningitis vaccine don’t know which serogroups of the disease their child is vaccinated against.[6] We are working to build awareness and help prevent this terrible disease.”
Young people particularly are at risk because they live, work and play in places that put them in close contact with each other, such as schools, sports teams, clubs, camps, college dorms and military housing. Vaccines are the best protection against meningitis as it is often difficult to treat and can be fatal, sometimes within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, or can cause life-long disability.
Through the campaign, Schanbuam and Nick Springer, a U.S. Paralympian wheel chair rugby player and another meningitis survivor, will tell their own stories of survival to help educate on the importance of vaccination.
“Meningitis changed my entire life when I was just a kid. I lost most of my legs and arms and later learned that there was a vaccine that might have protected me against the disease,” said Springer. “No one should have to go through what I’ve gone through and that’s why I’m working with GSK to tell my story.”
GSK has launched a website where parents and young people can learn about meningococcal meningitis, the risk factors, how it can be spread, the symptoms, the impact of the disease, and how teens and young adults can help protect themselves. Visit www.meningitis.com for more information and additional resources.
Take 5 for Meningitis complements GSK’s larger effort—Win for Meningitis—a global campaign to build awareness about meningitis and the vaccines available to help prevent it.
GSK is the largest vaccines manufacturer in the world.
GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D ‘Risk factors’ in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2015.
Media Contacts
Hope Evans
(443) 614-5863
hope.evans@porternovelli.com
Robin Gaitens
919-271-6560
robin.c.gaitens@gsk.com
___________________________________________________________________________
[1] CDC. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Chapter 8: Meningococcal Disease. April 2014. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt08-mening.html. Page 1, Paragraph 3, Line 2.
[2] GSK, data on file.
[3] CDC. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Chapter 8: Meningococcal Disease. April 2014. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt08-mening.html. Page 1, Paragraph 3, Line 1.
[4] CDC. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Chapter 8: Meningococcal Disease. April 2014. Available at:http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt08-mening.html. Page 1, Paragraph 3, Line 2. Page 1, Paragraph 25, Line 1
[5] CDC. Meningococcal Disease: Technical and Clinical Information. June 2015. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/clinical-info.html. Page 1, Paragraph 4, Lines 1-3.
[6] Harris Poll. US Awareness Poll-Parents. February 2015.
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE MUNCH NEWS
RECENT THE MUNCH CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
- Your Child’s Tomorrow Begins Today
- Choose Beer Grown Here: Anheuser-Busch is First to Adopt...
- Helping Alleviate Children’s Anxiety
- Vitamins and Minerals: Fortifying Against Poor Oral Health
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
- Do you PHIT? Why A Career in Public Health Informatics...
- Shining a Spotlight on Kidney Health: Get to Know Your...
- Phony Investment “Opportunities” Can Cost You Big, Say...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Ash Carter Exchange Showcases Innovation and National...
- AI Expo for National Competitiveness Announces Key Sponsor
- 2102: PRETENSE, THE PLAY: New Literary Novel Overlays...
- Why It's Important to Talk About Inheriting Wealth
- 100% of Latino Grads Start Trades Careers With Centro...
- Sound Solutions: How Generative AI is Enhancing Business...
- Wow Your Easter Guests With A Very Easy Spring Surprise...
- Tips to savor springtime and reflect on li...
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Captivating Reads
- Wow Your Easter Guests With Easy Spring Surprise Cake
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- State Department Announces 2023-2024 Fulbright Top Producing Institutions