CELEBRITY DESIGNER TY
PENNINGTON TO HOST ADHD EXPERTS ON CALL PROGRAM
Ty Joins the Nation’s ADHD Experts to Answer Questions About
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
For immediate release
9:00 EDT
New York, September 13, 2006 – To help patients, families and caregivers better
understand Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Shire
Pharmaceuticals Inc., will host the eighth annual ADHD Experts on Call on
September 20, 2006, from 8 A.M. to midnight EDT. Celebrity designer Ty
Pennington, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, is back for the third
year in a row to talk about his experience managing the disorder. Some of the
nation’s top ADHD experts will answer questions at the toll-free telephone
hotline, 1-888-ASK-ADHD.
The hotline will provide live access to English- and Spanish-speaking experts
including health care professionals, educators and advocates who can answer
questions regarding the disorder. In addition, a confidential, one-on-one
on-line forum will be available at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com throughout the day.
September 20, 2006 is also national ADHD Awareness Day. In honor of ADHD
Awareness Day, Ty Pennington will join Dr. Robert Findling, Professor of
Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University, for an hour-long
webcast to educate the community about this real and treatable disorder. The
free webcast will take place live from ADHD Experts on Call from noon to 1 P.M.
EDT on September 20, and it will be hosted on www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com. Those
joining the webcast will be able to ask Ty Pennington and Dr. Findling questions
about ADHD and its treatment.
“I know what’s it’s like to grow up with ADHD and how important it is for
parents, caregivers and patients, to have access to accurate information,” said
Ty Pennington, host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TM. “I loved being
part of ADHD Experts on Call last year, and I am excited about the many people
we will impact this year. I hope that by working with all of these great people
and sharing how support and treatment have made a difference in my life, I’ll
help other kids and families understand that there are people out there ready to
help them and that it’s possible to live a productive life with ADHD.”
Over the last seven years, the ADHD Experts on Call have fielded tens of
thousands of inquiries and have helped many people better understand the
condition and how to manage it.
With school back in swing, parents and teachers may suspect that their child or
student has ADHD. ADHD Experts on Call provides a valuable resource to both
parents and teachers who may not be familiar with ADHD, and the many treatment
options available. In addition, many adults still deal with the symptoms and
long-term effects of ADHD, and may want to call and learn about ways to manage
their symptoms of ADHD. While the experts participating in ADHD Experts on Call
cannot provide specific medical advice for patients or parents or recommend a
particular course of action, they will provide helpful information on topics
such as:
• How teachers may approach parents if they suspect a student has ADHD;
• How parents can approach teachers about their child's ADHD-related needs;
• How to manage ADHD as an all-day disorder: before, during and after school;
• How to recognize ADHD symptoms in adolescents and adults;
• How to manage ADHD in the workplace;
• The need for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ADHD in children
and adults; and
• Common myths and misconceptions about ADHD.
“While this program doesn’t replace a physician visit, parents and adult
patients can learn valuable information about ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, support
groups and treatment options that can help them better understand the disorder,”
said Dr. Findling.
About ADHD
ADHD is a neurological brain disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of
inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe
than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable age and maturity. ADHD
affects approximately 7.8 percent of all school-age children, or about 4.4
million U.S. children and is considered one of the most commonly diagnosed
psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Approximately 80 percent of
children with ADHD may continue to experience symptoms into adolescence and up
to 65 percent of children with ADHD may continue to experience symptoms into
adulthood. In fact, approximately 4.4 percent or nine million American adults
currently struggle with the inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity symptoms
of ADHD. Research strongly suggests that ADHD is influenced by genes and tends
to run in families. In fact, a study of twins reveals that the heritability of
ADHD symptoms is approximately 75 percent.
According to a national survey, “Capturing America’s Attention,” ADHD symptoms
may have limited adults with the condition from reaching their academic and
occupational potential, and limit their satisfaction with themselves and their
relationships. According to the survey:
• Adults with ADHD have less stable relationships than those adults without
ADHD, as reflected in higher rates of divorce (twice the likelihood) and
• Adults with ADHD tend to report lower educational achievement and are less
likely to be high school or college graduates.
• U.S. household income losses due to ADHD total nearly $77 billion each year.
Evidence also suggests that many with ADHD may be at risk for other problems,
such as drug abuse, anti-social thoughts and poor self-esteem.
Although there is no “cure” for ADHD, physicians, parents, teachers and nurses
are finding ways to help children with the condition adapt to their academic,
social and work environments. Callers also may request free information about
ADHD with information on symptoms, diagnosis and available treatment options.
For those who would prefer to use the Internet, a confidential, one-on-one,
on-line forum also will be available at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com throughout the
day.
For further information on ADHD please visit www.ADHDSupport.com, www.CHADD.org,
www.ADD.org or www.NMHA.org.
For further information please contact:
Jessica Kwartner (Porter Novelli) (212) 601-8429 jessica.kwartner@porternovelli.com
Marissa Berlin (Porter Novelli) (212) 601-8476
marissa.berlin@porternovelli.com
Shire plc
Shire’s strategic goal is to become the leading specialty pharmaceutical company
that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its
business on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic
therapies (HGT), gastrointestinal (GI) and renal diseases. The structure is
sufficiently flexible to allow Shire to target new therapeutic areas to the
extent opportunities arise through acquisitions. Shire believes that a carefully
selected portfolio of products with a strategically aligned and relatively
small-scale sales force will deliver strong results.
Shire’s focused strategy is to develop and market products for specialty
physicians. Shire’s in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on
products in niche markets with strong intellectual property protection either in
the US or Europe.
For further information on Shire, please visit the Company’s website:
www.shire.com.
"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF
1995
Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forwarding-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and
uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or
uncertainties materialize, Shire plc's results could be materially affected. The
risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks associated with
the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical research, product development,
manufacturing and commercialization; the impact of competitive products,
including, but not limited to, the impact of those on Shire plc's Attention
Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ("ADHD") franchise; patents, including but
not limited to, legal challenges relating to Shire plc's ADHD franchise;
government regulation and approval, including but not limited to the expected
product approval dates of CONNEXYN™ (SPD503) (ADHD), SPD465 (ADHD), MESAVANCE TM
(SPD476) (ulcerative colitis), and NRP104 (ADHD), including its scheduling
classification by the Drug Enforcement Administration in the United States;
Shire plc's ability to secure new products for commercialization and/or
development; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in
Shire plc's and its predecessor registrant Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc's
filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Shire plc's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.
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Reviewed: 09/2006
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