TEANECK, N.J., and BLOOMFIELD, N.J., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. and U.S. Pharmacist today announce that they are seeking nominations for the Fifth Annual hhc (human health care) Pharmacy Recognition Award. The award honors pharmacists who are dedicated to providing quality care for and improving the lives of Alzheimer's patients and their families.
Named for Eisai's human health care mission, the hhc Pharmacy Recognition Award emphasizes the company's commitment to satisfying unmet medical needs and increasing benefits to patients and their families beyond the development of important new treatments. As the discoverer and developer of Aricept(R) (donepezil hydrochloride tablets), the number-one prescribed Alzheimer's medication worldwide, Eisai developed this award in conjunction with U.S. Pharmacist, a monthly journal that provides pharmacists with information relevant to contemporary pharmacy practice. To date, more than a dozen pharmacists have been honored with the hhc Pharmacy Recognition Award.
"Caregivers and patients, especially those with chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, view pharmacists as someone they can turn to on a daily basis for support, information and counseling," said Harold E. Cohen, RPh, Editor-in- chief of U.S. Pharmacist. "The hhc award recognizes those professionals who go above and beyond the call of duty in providing quality care to this growing patient population."
"At Eisai, we understand and appreciate that pharmacists are a trusted and respected healthcare resource for Alzheimer's patients and their families," said Lonnel Coats, President and COO of Eisai Inc. "In keeping with our mission, we are pleased to recognize their outstanding achievements and contributions."
Awards will be given to registered pharmacists licensed to practice in one of four categories -- community, institutional, managed care and long-term care. Pharmacists will be judged on initiatives they have implemented that have enhanced the quality of patient care or have improved the competencies of caregivers and healthcare providers. Nominees must have been involved in education or disease state management of patients with Alzheimer's disease within the past 12 months. A nominee's participation in the initiative can be an individual effort or as a member of a team. Applicants may self-nominate or be nominated by their peers.
A full description of the award and nomination criteria is provided in the program literature, which can be found at www.eisai.com or www.uspharmacist.com. Applications will be accepted through May 2006 and winners will be announced in August. Award recipients will be selected from a pool of nominees reviewed by a panel of independent judges selected by U.S. Pharmacist. Each of the winners will receive a specially designed keepsake plaque, a two-page article published in a future issue (September through December 2006) of U.S. Pharmacist profiling the winner's contribution, a framed keepsake reprint of the article and an honorarium.
For more information about the Eisai Inc. human health care Pharmacy Recognition Award, please call Linda DaSilva, RPh, at Eisai Inc., (201) 287- 2061, or Harold E. Cohen, RPh, at U.S. Pharmacist, (973) 954-9223.
Information About ARICEPT(R)
Once-a-day prescription ARICEPT(R) (donepezil HCl tablets) is indicated for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
ARICEPT(R) is well tolerated but may not be for everyone. Some people may have nausea, diarrhea, not sleep well or vomit. Some people may have muscle cramps, feel very tired, or may not want to eat. In studies, these side effects were usually mild and went away over time. People at risk for stomach ulcers or who take certain other medicines should tell their doctors because serious stomach problems, such as bleeding, may get worse. Some people who take ARICEPT(R) may experience fainting.
For more information about managing Alzheimer's disease and about ARICEPT(R), and for prescribing information on ARICEPT(R), please see accompanying full prescribing information or visit www.aricept.com.
About Eisai Inc.
Eisai Inc. is a U.S. pharmaceutical subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., a research-based human health care (hhc) company that discovers, develops and markets products in more than 30 countries. Eisai focuses its efforts in three therapeutic areas: neurology, gastrointestinal disorders and oncology/critical care. Established in 1995, Eisai Inc. began marketing its first product in the United States in 1997 and has rapidly grown to become an integrated pharmaceutical business with sales of approximately $2 billion in fiscal year 2004 (year ended March 31, 2005).
Eisai Inc. employs approximately 1,200 people at its headquarters in Teaneck, NJ, at its state-of-the-art pharmaceutical production and formulation research and development facility in Research Triangle Park, NC, and in the field. Between 1998 and 2004, Eisai Inc. moved up rapidly in the rankings (based on revenues) of U.S. pharmaceutical companies from No. 44 to No. 19.
About U.S. Pharmacist
U.S. Pharmacist is a monthly journal dedicated to providing the nation's pharmacists with up-to-date, authoritative, peer-reviewed clinical articles relevant to contemporary pharmacy practice in a variety of settings, including community pharmacy, hospitals, managed care systems, ambulatory care clinics, home care organizations, long-term care facilities, industry and academia. The publication is also useful to pharmacy technicians, students, other health professionals and individuals interested in health management.
Eisai Inc.CONTACT: Cathy Pollini, Eisai Inc., +1-201-287-2052; Harold E. Cohen, RPh,U.S. Pharmacist, +1-973-954-9223; Anna Blank, Hill & Knowlton, +1-212-885-0522
