Sandoz digital event aims to drive public awareness around antibiotic medicines, in CEEMEA region and beyond

  • Scientific event organized by Sandoz Russia aims to drive access to medical information about appropriate use of antibiotics across the region and beyond
  • Sandoz uses digital platforms to reach healthcare professionals in remote locations with cutting-edge medical information, shared by internationally recognized scientific experts
  • Event takes place against background of global Antibiotics Awareness Week
15. 11. 2017

Sandoz is today staging a digital scientific event, aimed at driving access to information about appropriate use of antibiotics to healthcare officials across Central & Eastern Europe and beyond, including the Middle East & Africa.

The so-called Scientific Standalone Event, organized in Moscow by Sandoz Russia, focuses on the theme of “Combat Infections to Save Lives” and uses digital platforms to broadcast to 13 countries simultaneously, among them also to Slovenia. Healthcare professionals in remote locations ranging from infectologists, ETNs (ear-throat-nose specialists), pneumologists, internal medicine specialists to general practitioners are invited to participate and apply the knowledge gained in daily clinical practice, in the best interests of patients.

Speaking ahead of the event, Sandoz regional head Francesco Balestrieri said: “Our goal at Sandoz is to increase access to high-quality medicines, medical information and medical capacity for millions of people every year. To achieve this goal, we constantly look for new and innovative ways to engage with the medical community.” 

He added: “This event focuses on anti-infectives, the cornerstone of modern medicine, and is testimony to our commitment to make cutting-edge medical information available to as many specialists as possible. We believe that health outcomes for patients can be improved if more people are better trained to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases appropriately, and to promote the rational use of antibiotics in order to safeguard the long-term worldwide effectiveness of these essential therapies.”

Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of mortality in low-income countries. In particular, 

lower respiratory tract infections  remain the most deadly communicable disease, causing 3.2 million deaths worldwide in 20151. The Sandoz event focuses on four main themes:

  • Rational use of antibiotics – Why does it matter? 
  • Sinus infections – When should we worry?
  • Community acquired pneumonia – Old challenges and new solutions 
  • Antibiotics & bronchitis – What do the guidelines tell us?

In addition to driving overall access to effective medicines and medical information, Sandoz is also committed, as the leading global provider of generic antibiotics, to playing a leading role in the global battle against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). AMR has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the three major threats to global health, and the fight against it is the key theme of this week’s global Antibiotic Awareness Week.


References

  1. World Health Organization, The top 10 causes of death
    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en
  2. World Health Organization, Antibiotic resistance
    http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/antibiotic-resistance/en/
  3. World Health Organization, World Antibiotic Awareness Week, 13-19 November 2017
    http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-antibiotic-awareness-week/en/


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Lek, a Sandoz company, is one of the key pillars of the second-largest generic pharmaceutical company globally. Its role within Sandoz is to act as: a leading global development center for technologically demanding products and technologies; a key global manufacturing center for active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines; a competence center for the development of vertically integrated products; a Sandoz competence center in the field of development and manufacturing of biosimilar active ingredients and products; a supply center for the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South East Europe (SEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and is responsible for marketing and sales of Sandoz products on the Slovenian market. For further information, please visit www.lek.si.

Sandoz is a global leader in generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people’s lives. We contribute to society’s ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2016 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2016, our products reached more than 500 million patients and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany’s Greater Munich area.
Sandoz is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Sandoz_global at http://twitter.com/Sandoz_Global (link is external).

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 121,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

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This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.

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For additional information contact:
Katarina Klemenc
Corporate Communications 
Lek Pharmaceuticals d. d.
Phone: +386 1 580 22 43
Fax: +386 1 580 24 32
katarina.klemenc@sandoz.com