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Takeda Philippines and
the Tzu Chi Foundation forged a partnership to enhance its Patient Assistance
Program, enabling patients with lymphoma and IBD to access essential treatments
granting improved health outcomes, and allowing them to pursue a better quality
of life.
Biopharmaceutical
leader Takeda Healthcare Philippines Inc. recently inked a partnership with Tzu
Chi Foundation to bolster a Patient Assistance Program (PAP) specifically
benefiting patients suffering from Hodgkin Lymphoma and Inflammatory Bowel
Disease (IBD).
The Tzu Chi Foundation
is an international humanitarian organization that has been operating in the
Philippines for 27 years. It holds special consultative status with the United
Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and focuses on disaster relief
and rehabilitation, education, healthcare, and environmental protection,
positively impacting communities in need.
In collaboration with
the foundation, Takeda will be able to support individuals suffering from rare
diseases through its funding assistance. This support enables more patients to
start and complete their treatments, enhancing their quality of life and helping
them become more productive members of society.
“We really look forward
to this [partnership] as it sets milestones to make sure that we help those who
truly need it. Tzu Chi’s mission to relieve the suffering of those in need and
create a better world resonated with us as this is aligned to our mission of
providing better health and a brighter future for all. This partnership
showcases the potential of combining our expertise, our resources, and with our
mutual dedication, that will help address critical health challenges and foster
a healthier, more equitable access to healthcare for rare diseases,” said
Loreann Villanueva, Country Manager of Takeda in Philippines.
Tzu Chi Philippines CEO
Henry Yuñez also emphasized the importance of this collaboration: “Tzu Chi’s
mission is to help, and this partnership enables us to reach more people in
need.”
In this partnership,
Tzu Chi Foundation and Takeda will co-fund the treatment of patients requiring
antibody-drug conjugates for Hodgkin lymphoma or monoclonal antibody medicines
for IBD.
Interested applicants
can enroll in the Takeda PAP through their doctors and complete the necessary
assessments. Qualified candidates will then be referred to the Tzu Chi
Foundation for further evaluation and financial support.
“We have a myriad of
problems in the country, and a few NGOs or a few charity organizations will not
be able to do it. And I think Takeda is setting an example to maybe other
pharma companies and other corporations to also do their share,” said Tzu Chi Foundation
Director Peggy Sy-Jiang.
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Takeda Philippines and
the Tzu Chi Foundation join hands to create a better world for individuals with
lymphoma and IBD. [From Left to Right: THPI IBAM Lead John Raymond Gulinao, Tzu
Chi Philippines CEO Henry Yuñez, and THPI Country Manager Loreann Villanueva] |
Lymphoma, the most
common blood cancer, is often hard to detect early due to symptoms like fever,
night sweats, and painless lymph node swelling. In 2020, over 83,000 people
worldwide were diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Since 2022, Takeda Philippines
has embarked on several awareness initiatives on lymphoma, such as the “Spot
Lymphoma Stop Lymphoma” campaign, collaborating with the Philippine College of
Hematology and Transfusion Medicine (PCHTM), the Philippine Society of Medical
Oncologists (PSMO), the Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion
(PSHBT), and the Philippine Society of Pathology (PSP). The campaign aims to
educate the public and healthcare professionals, and it includes partnerships
with the Philippine Cancer Society to support CD30 biomarker testing for
Hodgkin lymphoma and with Health Futures Inc. to provide continuing medical
education programs for oncology nurses.
Meanwhile, inflammatory
bowel disease (IBD) causes gastrointestinal inflammation and is increasingly
prevalent in Asia due to rapid industrialization. In the Philippines, Crohn’s
and Colitis Philippines—an active patient support organization—has over 100
members and continues to grow. Despite being classified as rare and having
limited prevalence data, estimates suggest there may be over 300 cases in the
country, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and support for those
affected by IBD.
Takeda reports that
less than half of Hodgkin Lymphoma patients are able to initiate treatment, and
45% of IBD patients struggle to afford even one dose of medicine to begin
therapy. This partnership allows patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma and IBD to
access innovative treatments.
Through its patient
assistance program, Takeda helps these patients obtain necessary care,
fostering a healthier community. These efforts highlight the importance of
support for those affected by these conditions.
To learn more about
Takeda Healthcare Philippines, Inc. and its initiatives, please visit
https://www.takeda.com/en-ph/.
Disclaimer:
This information is available to the public for informational purposes only and
should not be used for diagnosing or treating any health problems or diseases.
It is not a substitute for consulting a healthcare provider. Please consult
your healthcare provider for further advice.
# # #
About Takeda
Takeda
is focused on creating better health for people and a brighter future for the
world. We aim to discover and deliver life-transforming treatments in our core
therapeutic and business areas, including gastrointestinal and inflammation,
rare diseases, plasma-derived therapies, oncology, neuroscience and vaccines.
Together with our partners, we aim to improve the patient experience and
advance a new frontier of treatment options through our dynamic and diverse
pipeline. As a leading values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical company
headquartered in Japan, we are guided by our commitment to patients, our people
and the planet. Our employees in approximately 80 countries and regions are
driven by our purpose and are grounded in the values that have defined us for
more than two centuries.
Takeda
Healthcare Philippines, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Founded in 2014, Takeda Healthcare Philippines,
Inc. aims to broaden patient access to treatment across the country through
sustainable access programs enabling affordable and integrated access solutions
for disease areas such as oncology, gastroenterology, rare diseases &
vaccines and by strengthening the healthcare system guided by our commitment to
Patients, our People and the Planet.
For
more information, https://www.takeda.com/en-ph/
About Tzu Chi Foundation
The
Tzu Chi Foundation is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to
alleviating suffering and creating a better world through compassion and hope.
Founded in Taiwan in 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen, it has grown to become
the world’s largest Buddhist humanitarian organization, with over 10 million
volunteers active in more than 60 countries. The Foundation has special
consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN
ECOSOC). In the Philippines for 27 years, Tzu Chi has focused on disaster
relief and rehabilitation, education, healthcare, and environmental protection,
positively impacting communities in need.
For
more information, https://tzuchi.org.ph/
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