Boehringer Ingelheim Launches Hepatitis C Website

Boehringer Ingelheim Launches Hepatitis C Online Resource

HepCRedefined.com aims to help HCPs and advocates improve lives of people living with hepatitis C through education, information and understanding

Ridgefield, CT, November 9, 2012 – Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the launch of HepCRedefined.com, an online portal to help improve the lives of those living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) through education, information and understanding. HepCRedefined.com aims to redefine the HCV journey by providing downloadable and shareable resources to healthcare providers, advocates, caregivers and patients.

In order to bring together information that is most relevant to those impacted by HCV, the portal was developed in close collaboration with HCV community advocates as well as healthcare practitioners who are currently treating HCV patients. Resources available on the portal can be shared via social media channels, embedded on other web sources and viewed on various smart devices.

HCV is an infectious disease of the liver and is a leading cause of chronic liver disease, transplant and failure that affects as many as 150 million people globally. Since 1999 there has been a significant increase in deaths due to chronic HCV, accounting for 15,000 deaths in the United Sates in 2007.

“The entire HCV community is in need of simple tools and resources to talk about the disease in an informed, supportive way. There is information about HCV across the web, but HepCRedefined.com is designed to aggregate straightforward and accurate information in a single virtual destination,” said Michael Ninburg, Executive Director, Hepatitis Education Project. “I’m proud to have contributed to the development of HepCRedefined.com and look forward to working with other advocates to reach communities nationwide.”

HepCRedefined.com offers tips and tools to facilitate discussion about HCV, including:
A video series for healthcare providers offering tips on support sources, clinic program highlights and patient diaries
A comprehensive and interactive checklist tool to help patients manage considerations of being in care and getting ready for treatment
A frequently asked questions section about the spread of HCV
A key facts page about HCV mortality
A page featuring multiple at-a-glance information cards covering topics about patients and the disease itself designed to help debunk myths surrounding HCV
A community “C Pledge” where healthcare providers, patients and caregivers can take an oath to redefine the patient journey and the way HCV is perceived

“Boehringer Ingelheim understands that the HCV journey can be a difficult process for patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and advocates alike,” said Steve Smith, Vice President Established Brands, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “Through our work with the HCV community to develop HepCRedefined.com, we hope to offer support to the many individuals impacted by HCV with useful information and interactive resources that are easy to find. The more we empower ourselves to learn about the challenges associated with HCV, the better we will be able to provide patient management and come closer to a cure for this disease.”

To learn more about HCV and support resources, please visit www.HepCRedefined.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT) and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 42,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

As a central element of its culture, Boehringer Ingelheim pledges to act socially responsible. Involvement in social projects, caring for employees and their families, and providing equal opportunities for all employees form the foundation of the global operations. Mutual cooperation and respect as well as environmental protection and sustainability are intrinsic factors in all of Boehringer Ingelheim’s endeavors.

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