Pharmacy early AD alert
February 27, 2014
Pharmacists are being alerted
to a potential wave of patients
inquiring about their risk of
Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
With the pharmacist as the first
port of call for many patients,
Nutricia has announced a new
direct to consumer program
prompting people with concerns
about memory loss to consult their
health care professional.
The company, which markets
Souvenaid, said that the product
is classified as a nutritional food
for special medical purposes for
the dietary management of the
early stages of AD and is only
recommended to be taken under
medical supervision.
Potential patients or concerned
relatives/carers will be encouraged
to consult with their pharmacist,
doctor or nurse.
The campaign includes TV
advertising in Sydney and
Melbourne Feb/Mar, TV
advertorials Mar–May and regional
radio advertising in NSW, VIC and
QLD across Mar/Apr.
Pharmacists can refer patients to
their GP for initial discussions and
if suspicious ongoing referal to a
specialist in geriatrics or neurology.
Ongoing research is being
conducted by the Austin Hospital in
Victoria through Professor Michael
Woodward, head of aged and
residential care services at Austin
Health, and geriatrician in private
practice.
Woodward said that a strong
body of published, double-blind,
peer-reviewed clinical trials have
now demonstrated that Souvenaid
can make a statistically significant
difference to the protection of
synapses affecting cognitive ability.
Pharmacists can explain that
should the doctor recommend it,
Souvenaid is available as a very
early intervention, he added.
In AD, the nutrients required to
support what is called the Kennedy
Pathway, a cascade of multiple
enzymatic reactions, seem not to
be available in sufficient quantities.
Woodward said that early
diagnosis of AD was critical to
success with most therapies but
especially so with Souvenaid which
has strongest data demonstrating
positive impact when begun as
early as possible, even preclinically.
If therapy is left until later in the
course of disease it can be too late.
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