MONTREAL, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ - As part of its continued commitment to hemophilia care around the world, Wyeth, now a part of Pfizer, has pledged more than 40 million international units (IUs) of factor concentrates to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). This is the largest donation ever made to the WFH's Humanitarian Aid Program, and will make a significant impact to advance the WFH's goals.

"This donation will directly support building sustainable national care programs for people with bleeding disorders," said Mark Skinner, WFH president. "We are very proud to work with Wyeth, which has historically been the largest single donor of hemophilia products to the WFH."

The donation will bring life-saving treatment to many people with hemophilia around the world who would not otherwise have access to adequate treatment. Notably, participants of the WFH Twinning Program will receive some of the donated product which will help improve their quality of life. It will also support adults and young children who have no access to treatment and patients with life-threatening bleeding episodes.

"We are committed to working with partner organizations to provide access to hemophilia medicines to patients who need them," said Geno Germano, president and general manager of the Specialty Care Business Unit at Pfizer.

This donation and Wyeth's ongoing commitment will continue to strengthen the WFH's Humanitarian Aid program and will help provide those in need with valuable and life-saving medicines.

About hemophilia and other bleeding disorders

One in 5,000 boys is born with hemophilia. This means that their blood does not clot properly and this can often be fatal due to internal bleeding. However, with proper care and management, patients with hemophilia and bleeding disorders can lead a longer, healthier life.

Hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, and other factor deficiencies are lifelong bleeding disorders that prevent blood from clotting properly. People with bleeding disorders do not have enough of a particular clotting factor, a protein in blood that controls bleeding, or it does not work properly. The severity of a person's bleeding disorder usually depends on the amount of clotting factor that is missing or not working. People with hemophilia can experience uncontrolled internal bleeding that can result from a seemingly minor injury. Bleeding into joints and muscles causes severe pain and disability. Bleeding into major organs, such as the brain, can cause death.

About the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH)

The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with hemophilia and related bleeding disorders. Established in 1963, it is a global network of patient organizations in 113 countries and has official recognition from the World Health Organization. Visit WFH online at www.wfh.org.

SOURCE World Federation of Hemophilia

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