Xechem International Inc. (fka XKEM)

[etkd]

Forum Timed for National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month; Is Largest
Conference on Disease and Its Ramifications
DALLAS, Sept. 21 -- Patient advocates, researchers,
clinicians, policy makers, and minority health leaders will address the state
of Sickle Cell Disease awareness and treatment in this country when the Sickle
Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) holds it 34th annual meeting
September 27-30 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion in Dallas, Texas.
Taking place as National Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month comes to a
close, SCDAA's convention -- Sickle Cell Disease: Meeting Unmet Needs -- is
the largest national forum focusing on the issues affecting the estimated
80,000 people in the U.S. with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). An inherited blood
disorder affecting the red blood cells, SCD is a lifelong condition that
causes anemia and jaundice and can result in serious lung tissue damage,
stroke, and debilitating body pain. While there is no cure for SCD, early
diagnosis can help people live longer, healthier and more productive lives.
Because SCD lasts a lifetime, patients face many challenges, which is why
the 2006 SCDAA annual meeting will include over 40 educational sessions
focusing specifically on such topics as overcoming the disparities in how
adults with SCD receive treatment for acute and chronic pain, an area where
many patients are at risk for inadequate pain control. The forum will also
provide important new findings about treatment options for one of the
complications of SCD, iron overload, which occurs when patients receive
repeated blood transfusions. If left unchecked, the excess iron in the blood
can gather in the heart, liver, and other organs and may lead to organ damage.
SCDAA's national meeting also comes on the heels of new concerns about
discrimination against the more than 2.5 million Americans with sickle cell
trait (SCT), which is not a type of SCD. Although people with SCT are healthy,
when both parents have this trait, they have a 25 percent chance of having a
baby with sickle cell disease with each pregnancy. For this reason, a major
topic on the agenda will be educating the public about SCT and driving
awareness about the benefits of routine screenings for family planning
purposes.
"As a nation, we must elevate sickle cell disease as a priority concern,"
said Willarda V. Edwards, MD, president and COO of the association. "This
meeting will shine a light on the many issues now facing people with SCD so
that advocates and policy makers will have the insights to improve the
services and programs designed to prevent, detect and manage this condition at
its earliest stages and to support SCD patients throughout their lives."
Conference Addresses Latest Science; Provides Opportunity for People of
Dallas to Meet with National Leaders
The SCDAA national meeting will launch on September 27 with a series of
scientific presentations followed by an open reception for the people of
Dallas to learn about SCD. This free event will take place from 7:00 pm until
10:00 pm at the Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion in Dallas.
There will also be a blood drive on Saturday, September 30th from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. in Reunion Ballroom G-H as part of the SCDAA convention. Blood
transfusions are a part of the treatment of Sickle cell disease. It has been
shown to decrease pain crises and reduce the risk for stroke in children.
Continuing through September 30, the SCDAA convention will include
sessions on screenings of newborns, education of school children, pain
management, and new therapies in sickle cell disease. Some of the
conference highlights include:
* A special lecture by a scientist from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) on new therapies in sickle cell disease -- September 27
* An update on new guidelines for managing acute and chronic pain in
adults with SCD -- September 27
* An update on state initiatives to screen newborns for SCD -- September
28
* New data on the incidence of SCD in African Americans and other
population groups -- September 28
* A clinical update on treating pulmonary hypertension in SCD patients --
September 28
* A panel on innovative programs to increase awareness, detection and
prevention of SCD -- September 28
* New data on iron overload and new treatment options -- September 29
* A presentation focusing on new uses for old drugs to treat SCD --
September 29
* New information on how to prevent and treat stroke in people with SCD --
September 29
* A panel on education services, including a model on adding education
about SCD sickle cell trait in high schools -- September 29
The SCDAA annual meeting is expected to attract more than 400 patient
advocates, researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and minority health
leaders. More information regarding Sickle Cell Disease, the work of SCDAA,
and the SCDAA convention are available on the SCDAA Web site at
http://www.sicklecelldisease.org or by calling 800-421-8453.
About Sickle Cell Disease: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited blood
disorder that is a major health problem in the United States and worldwide. It
affects various ethnic groups, but is most common in African Americans in the
U.S. In certain sections of the country there are large numbers of Hispanic
individuals with SCD as well. In the general population, one in every 4,000
Americans is born with a form of SCD. Among African Americas, one in every 400
(about 80,000 total) is born with SCD. Over 2.5 million Americans, mostly
African Americans, have sickle cell trait.
About Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.: For more than 30
years, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America (SCDAA) and its 100-plus
Member Organizations and affiliates, located in more than 38 states, have
demonstrated how community-based organizations can work as partners with local
and state government agencies in furtherance of national health care
objectives. In collaboration with member and other stakeholder organizations,
SCDAA's national efforts involve five broad categorical areas: research,
public health education, professional health education, patient services and
community services.
CONTACT: Willarda V. Edwards, MD, MBA, President and COO of Sickle Cell
Disease Association of America, Inc., [phone],
[e-mail]; or Cindy Karra, [phone],
[e-mail], for Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
SOURCE Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
Willarda V. Edwards, MD, MBA, President and COO of Sickle Cell Disease
Association of America, Inc., [phone],
[e-mail]; or Cindy Karra, [phone],
[e-mail], for Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.