Ethicon Bolsters Critical Need for Increased Patient Access to Most Effective Surgical Treatments for Obesity and Metabolic Disease with Studies to be Presented at IFSO 2016

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- By investing in and leveraging a growing body of clinical research and economic evidence, Ethicon*, a leader in advancing bariatric and metabolic surgery for more than 20 years, is poised to advance a global conversation on bariatric surgery as a potentially life-saving and health-improving procedure for surgically eligible patients suffering from obesity and obesity-related health conditions, particularly diabetes. Ethicon is showcasing best-in-class products and solutions. In addition, Ethicon will be discussing the latest global clinical and economic evidence designed to drive greater patient access to care at the 21^st World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO 2016).

Obesity and obesity-related health conditions, including Type 2 Diabetes, are global pandemics. The global price tag runs as high as $2 trillion a year, third only to smoking and armed conflicts. Nearly 30 percent of the world's populations – 2.1 billion people – are either obese or overweight. More than 115 million people in developing countries suffer from obesity-related problems. While Type 2 Diabetes poses a huge economic burden to all nations, developing countries bear the highest burden since more than 80 percent of cases occur in these countries.

"Ethicon's mission is to lead the way in resolving the burden of obesity for both patients and healthcare systems around the world by expanding access to care and demonstrating the critical value of treatment through enabling new technologies, research and evidence." said Dr. Elliott Fegelman, Therapeutic Area Expert, Metabolics, Johnson & Johnson Innovation.

Ethicon continues to drive global access to care initiatives to raise awareness of obesity as a chronic disease, and this week at IFSO, Ethicon is showcasing the latest innovations, technologies and new and ongoing clinical and economic evidence.

Ethicon IFSO 2016 highlights:

Advancing the Global Dialogue: At IFSO, Ethicon is leading important conversations on current global, clinical, economic and access to care initiatives to drive a deeper understanding of the issues at hand with the attending bariatric surgeon. Those discussions include:

• The waiting time for Gastric Bypass: how long should the Health Care System (HCS) Tolerate?: In the Brazilian Public Health Care System, among 3.5 million obese people are eligible to receive surgery, yet only 7,500 have the procedure each year. Patients could wait up to seven years to get bariatric surgery due to limitations in the health care system, and in the meantime they often could get sicker. This ultimately adds cost to the healthcare system that could potentially be avoided if the HCS would fund more surgeries. Ethicon has developed an economic analysis that shows this long patient wait times for a bariatric procedure in the Brazilian Public HCS cost more than when patients are operated on at the time of diagnosis. The analysis, spanning 20 years, also found that for diabetic patients, surgery at time of diagnosis costs less than medical treatment.
• The economic impact of bariatric surgery: cost or investment?: This discussion will begin with an overview of the current state of bariatric surgery in Latin America and the economic burden of obesity and discuss ways to shift the dialogue among key Latin American decision makers.
• Increased adoption of DSS-ll guidelines: The second Diabetes Surgery Summit (DSS-II) endorsed metabolic surgery as a valid treatment option for patients with Type 2 Diabetes and obesity, effectively establishing surgery, for the first time, as a standard diabetes treatment option for surgically eligible patients. The guidelines are intended to guide endocrinologists, primary care physicians and surgeons in the selection of candidates for surgical treatment and in the development of a diabetes-based model for pre- and post-operative care.
  • The DSS-II guidelines state that metabolic surgery should be recommended to treat Type 2 Diabetes in patients with class III obesity and in those with class II obesity when hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled by lifestyle and optimal medical therapy.
  • The DSS-II guidelines are endorsed by 45 worldwide medical and surgical societies, including the International Diabetes Federation, American Diabetes Association and Diabetes UK.
• Controversies in Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery: An international panel of experts will explore many of the toughest questions facing surgeons today, including: How do we define success? What is the role of new technologies and emerging procedures? Is the patient primarily responsible for obesity recidivism?

Supporting Studies around the World on Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgery: Ethicon is investing in a growing body of clinical research and economic evidence to advance a global conversation on bariatric surgery as a potentially life-saving and health-improving procedure for surgically eligible patients suffering from obesity and obesity-related health conditions, particularly diabetes. Studies presented at IFSO include:

• COSMID: An Ethicon-funded study that demonstrates bariatric surgery with medical therapy may be a better treatment option than medical therapy and lifestyle management alone for obese Asian Indian patients with inadequately controlled Type 2 Diabetes. The COSMID (Comparison of Surgery vs. Medicine for Indian Diabetes) Trial is the first randomized controlled study that specifically addresses the Asian Indian population, which develops Type 2 Diabetes at an earlier age and a lower BMI than Caucasians. 
• Perspective from China: A poster presentation of an Ethicon sponsored study with six centers in China on the management of lower BMI, Type 2 Diabetes patients with gastric bypass.

Enabling Technology: Ethicon provides best-in-class product solutions for the most demanding bariatric procedures, to help achieve the best surgical outcomes for patients. At IFSO, surgeons will have the opportunity to experience Ethicon's signature products that are designed for the toughest surgical jobs in bariatric surgery.

About Ethicon

From creating the first sutures, to revolutionizing surgery with minimally invasive procedures, Ethicon, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, has made significant contributions to surgery for more than 60 years. Our continuing dedication to Shape the Future of Surgery is built on our commitment to help address the world's most pressing health care issues, and improve and save more lives. Through Ethicon's surgical technologies and solutions including sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars and hemostats and our commitment to treat serious medical conditions like obesity and cancer worldwide, we deliver innovation to make a life-changing impact. Learn more at www.ethicon.com and follow us on Twitter @Ethicon.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ann Leibson
Office: 513-337-8180
[email protected]

* Ethicon represents the products and services of Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC and certain of their affiliates.

SOURCE Ethicon

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