Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe: Patients Search for Information Online – but Aren’t Sure If They Can Trust What They Find

Teva announce digital initiatives to empower patients living with migraine and physicians by addressing the unmet need for independent, trustworthy and reliable online health information revealed in new research  

September 06, 2018 01:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

AMSTERDAM--Recent research commissioned1 by Teva Pharmaceuticals has shown that patients, especially those with chronic conditions, have a significant need for online information but they question the reliability of some sources.1

Today, Teva in Europe announced a series of partnerships and initiatives aimed at directly addressing this unmet need. The first, a partnership with Healint, the developer of the Migraine Buddy© platform, will provide real-world evidence about the many issues and outcomes experienced by migraine patients in Europe. These statistical insights produced by Healint on their platform are based on the contributions of patients, who opt-in to share about their condition anonymously for the purpose of increased migraine awareness, and research. This patient-reported evidence with an unprecedented scale will support the generation of educational and supportive content for doctors, neurologists, health specialists and individuals looking to enhance their understanding of migraine.

Recent research in the professional field highlights the growing interest by medical professionals in digital assets to support their continuous education needs and day-to-day work. A 2017 DRG Digital report found that millennial physicians are more reliant on digital sources of information spending as much as three hours consulting external digital resources including websites for healthcare professionals. They source online medical journals and medical reference sites far more frequently than their older peers.2

To address this professional need Teva is working with Migraine Trust International Symposium (MTIS) to create engaging online interviews with leaders in the field of neurology including Professor of Neurology at King's College London and Medical Trustee of The Migraine Trust, Peter J. Goadsby on the subject of ‘Recent advances in headache neuroimaging’. These videos and content will be made available through the MTIS website for UK delegates and on NeurologyBytes.com for non-UK delegates.

Neurology Bytes is a European Healthcare Professional portal initiated by Teva Europe that hosts a variety of educational content that complements the busy schedule of a neurologist and addresses the unmet need for reliable and trustworthy information.

CEO and Co-Founder of Healint, Francois Cadiou commends Teva’s efforts to provide independently reviewed information to support healthcare professionals in becoming more knowledgeable about migraine. “Our collaboration with Teva aims to support healthcare professionals to understand migraine patients better, so that they can obtain the most effective care plan faster. We at Healint are happy to support this transformative initiative with the unique data analysis carried out on the Healint platform. This fact-based information and our collaboration with Teva provides significant benefits to the entire migraine community.”

Professor of Neurology at King's College London and Medical Trustee of The Migraine Trust, Peter J. Goadsby MD PhD stated: “Migraine is a complex condition which requires broader disease awareness in order for patients to communicate effectively about their condition. Patients often need to be their own advocates given the significant amount of patient information doctors require to diagnose and treat their conditions. I welcome Teva’s initiatives which aim to support both the patient and the medical community through reliable and trustworthy information. I hope this initiative creates a better dialogue between patients and their doctors so they can determine the best course of treatment for this debilitating condition.”

Teva Head of Digital, Timothy White said: “Teva is committed to empowering patients and professionals around the world through their health journey, especially those living with or treating chronic conditions such as migraine, by providing high quality medicines as well as tools based on human insights. Our partnerships with MTIS and Healint as well as the growth of our Neurologybytes.com platform demonstrate the practical ways of how we are bringing the vision to life.”

About the Research

The research (2018) found:

  • 7 in 10 people (73%) in the UK have a chronic condition and online resources continue to be sought with over half (58%) of UK respondents with chronic conditions claiming to have searched for information on a weekly or monthly basis1

  • People living with chronic conditions were more likely to search for health information online on a weekly or monthly basis (58%) compared to those without chronic conditions (44%)1

  • The biggest issue that the UK faces in relation to online health information is understanding if it is trustworthy and reliable1

  • Search engines are the most popular online source of health information but not the most trusted. For example, in the UK, the NHS Choices website is the most trusted source of information with 3 out of 4 (75%) of respondents stating they trust the site to have quality and dependable information1

About Migraine

Migraine is an unpredictable neurological condition with symptoms such as severe head pain and physical impairment that can impact quality of life and productivity.3 There are two clinical manifestations of migraine – chronic, where patients suffer 15 or more headache days per month, and episodic, where patients have 14 or less headache days per month.4 With more than 1 billion people affected worldwide, migraine is the third most prevalent illness in the world.3

References

1. Edelman Intelligence 2018. Teva Brand Research - UK information

2. Meet the Millennial Physicians – Young, Mobile, and Harder to Reach. DRG Digital. Available at: https://www.drgdigital.com/drg-digital-innovation-blog/meet-the-millennial-physicians-young-mobile-and-harder-to-reach. Accessed 31.08.18

3. Migraine Research Foundation, Migraine Facts. Available at: http://migraineresearchfoundation.org/about-migraine/migraine-facts/. Accessed 31.08.18

4. Adapted from American Migraine Foundation. Available at: https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/chronic-migraine/. Accessed 31.08.18

About Teva

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) is a global leader in generic medicines, with innovative treatments in select areas, including CNS, pain and respiratory. We deliver high-quality generic products and medicines in nearly every therapeutic area to address unmet patient needs. We have an established presence in generics, specialty, OTC and API, building on more than a century-old legacy, with a fully integrated R&D function, strong operational base and global infrastructure and scale. We strive to act in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Headquartered in Israel, with production and research facilities around the globe, we employ 45,000 professionals, committed to improving the lives of millions of patients. Learn more at www.tevapharm.com.

About Healint

Healint helps the one billion people who suffer from migraine and other neurological conditions and is the developer of the world’s largest migraine tracking and research platform Migraine Buddy©. With more than one million registered users and 100 million migraine days tracked on the platform, Migraine Buddy© is the most popular condition-specific app in the world, and a Top 10 medical app in the USA and Europe. Using deep analytics and machine learning, Healint generates real-world evidence for patients, physicians, and researchers to improve treatment outcomes and expedite clinical trials. Healint collaborates with the world's leading scientists to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and lives of patients suffering from multiple neurological conditions. For more information, visit: www.healint.com.

Media Contacts:

Teva Pharmaceuticals
Fiona Cohen
+ 31 6 2008 2545
Fiona.Cohen@Tevaeu.com
or
Healint
Susanna Hasenoehrl
susanna@healint.com
+65 8657 9176

 

Healint Singapore