Norgine and ELPA today launched a patient leaflet to improve the early detection of hepatic encephalopathy, and a patient passport to facilitate conversations with healthcare professionals. Hepatic encephalopathy remains under-diagnosed and under-treated, as many patients and carers are unaware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. In addition, healthcare providers don’t always identify and treat the often subtle symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, and this can lead to poor patient outcomes and increased hospital admissions.1
Hepatic encephalopathy is a significant complication of advanced chronic liver disease, and occurs in up to 40% of patients or as many as 200,000 people in Europe.1,2
The collaboration between Norgine and ELPA is fundamental to ensure high quality provision of information for patients, so that in consultation with their healthcare professionals they can make well informed choices about their health and treatment. Hepatic encephalopathy is a life threatening condition and healthcare systems need to report it like other critical conditions, so that patients can be managed accordingly. Norgine and ELPA started collaborating in 2015 with the launch of Time to DeLiver: Getting a Grip on Hepatic Encephalopathy. The report aims to drive change in the perception, identification and management of hepatic encephalopathy and to date it remains the only report in Europe for this disease.
Tatjana Reic, President, ELPA said “In Europe, 200,000 people are affected by hepatic encephalopathy, yet despite the severity of the disease it is still under-diagnosed and under-treated. The new patient leaflet and passport are welcome as they will help patients and their carers to manage this debilitating disease which can significantly impact people’s lives and those who care for them.”
Peter Martin, Chief Operating Officer, Norgine said “Norgine is highly committed to working with ELPA so together we can ensure that hepatic encephalopathy is recognised as a life threatening condition and that patients can be managed accordingly.”
References
- Hepatic Encephalopathy in Chronic Liver Disease: 2014 Practice Guideline by the European Association for the Study of the Liver and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Journal of Hepatology 2014; 61(3):642-659
- Mullen KD. Review of the final report of the 1998 Working Party on definition, nomenclature and diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Feb;25 Suppl 1:11-6.
