HERNDON, Va., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Iatrogen, LLC, a bioinformatics leader in products and services that enable consumers to use medicines more safely, announced today that it has signed a service agreement with The Dow Chemical Company to provide RxWise(TM), the first personalized, adverse drug reaction (ADR) risk-assessment and disease management system. Dow is the first company to offer RxWise to its employees, retirees, spouses, and dependents nationwide.
RxWise is contained on a portable USB Flash Drive, or accessible through the Internet. It evaluates the potential risks for an ADR by analyzing the consumer's self-reported (or insurance claims-based) medical history and checking it against the medications they are taking. Using sophisticated risk- assessment software, RxWise provides important, personalized information about medications that may cause an ADR- the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. The product covers prescription, herbal, and over-the-counter drugs. With pull-down windows, consumers can easily record medical information to create a history of specific drugs being taken and known medical conditions, as well as their drug allergies. Once the information is entered into RxWise, a summary of relevant advisories regarding potential risks is displayed immediately. If desired, individuals can forward the advisories via email to their physicians and pharmacists.
RxWise will be available to all U.S.-based Dow employees, retirees and their families, regardless of enrollment in Dow's medical plan. Additionally, in partnership with Iatrogen, Dow will provide updated education and awareness programs to the company's internal healthcare providers and external providers.
"Dow's Health Strategy is focused on the achievement of an improved financial position relative to the total economic impact of health for Dow's people. We are very concerned about health outcomes as well as the money spent," said Dr. Cathy Baase (MD), Global Medical Director for The Dow Chemical Company. "The main pillars for our strategy include Prevention and Quality and Effectiveness of Care. We see RxWise as an opportunity to improve patient safety and a strong preventive approach to improving health outcomes."
Dr. Baase added: "We expect improvements in patient safety, quality and effectiveness of care. We recognize that medications have an extraordinary benefit but can also be a significant factor to adverse health events and outcomes. RxWise will provide a mechanism for individuals to better fulfill their role in acting as their own best health advocate."
"RxWise is a simple and comprehensive system," said Dena Pflieger, Dow's Health Care Consumerism Focal Point. "Our employees and their families will appreciate having all their medication information in one easy-to-use location."
M. Lee Morse, President and Co-founder of Iatrogen said: "We are honored to empower Dow employees with the ability to protect themselves and their families from ADRs with RxWise. Our relationship with this highly recognized leader further solidifies our mission to raise awareness among consumers, employers, and health plan managers to this pervasive and dangerous problem."
RxWise was developed by the country's leading ADR avoidance research teams. More than 20 million patients have been protected by this team's ADR technologies, which were also a past winner of the ComputerWorld Smithsonian Award for best IT in Medicine for its ADR avoidance system. The RxWise team has built and operated ADR avoidance/detection systems for over a dozen U.S. state health systems, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Benefits Administration, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and large employer groups including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, Goodyear and the Boeing Company.
About Dow
Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.
About Iatrogen
Iatrogen, LLC is the bioinformatics leader in products and services that enable consumers to use medicines more safely. Iatrogen evolved from the combined 50 years of experience of its founders in the clinical health and pharmaceutical outcomes industry. Located just outside Washington, DC in Herndon, Virginia, Iatrogen is composed of a team of highly qualified and experienced clinical pharmacists, epidemiologists, software designers, and IT professionals who manage the ongoing development and administration of the company's web and USB Flash Drive-based consumer products. For more information, visit http://www.rxwise.com.
Iatrogen, LLCCONTACT: Lana Sansur, Borenstein Group, +1-703-385-8178 x208,lana@borensteingroup.com
Web site: http://www.rxwise.com/
