Arthritis Foundation and Takeda Launch First-Ever National Gout Public Service Announcement (PSA) Campaign, Urging People Living With Gout to 'Keep Enjoying Life's Simple Pleasures'

ATLANTA and DEERFIELD, Ill., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arthritis Foundation and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., today announced the launch of a new educational campaign, Gout Living, to help increase understanding and encourage better management of gout. The campaign, which includes the first-ever gout public service announcements (PSAs), aims to encourage those living with the disease to be proactive about their health. The PSAs, which will be available via television, radio and print outlets, emphasize that living with gout doesn't have to mean missing out on life's special moments.

As part of the initiative, educational information and valuable resources are available on the Gout Living website, www.goutliving.org. The website features tools like a gout attack tracker, tips to start a conversation about gout with a doctor, and information for family, friends and caregivers of people with gout, as well as how to locate a local Arthritis Foundation office.  

For more information and to view the full multimedia news release, please visit www.goutlivingPSA.com.

"Gout is a common yet often overlooked arthritic disease, and the Arthritis Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of those with arthritis and related diseases, including gout," says John Hardin, M.D., vice president of research of the Arthritis Foundation. "GoutLiving.org provides people with gout and their loved ones with information about ways to manage gout and keep it under control. Learning about this chronic illness is an important first step, and we are excited to be able to offer new and valuable resources to the gout community."

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, and gout, a painful and chronic disease, is one of them. It is actually the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men and affects an estimated 6 million people in the United States.  

"Takeda is committed to increasing understanding of gout and fostering meaningful dialogue about the disease," says Robert Spanheimer, M.D., vice president of medical and scientific affairs at Takeda. "We are pleased to partner with the Arthritis Foundation to provide tools and resources needed to increase gout education and enhance communication around gout management."

About Gout

Gout is a chronic, metabolic disease affecting approximately 6 million Americans and is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men. The underlying cause of gout is hyperuricemia, a condition characterized by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood.  

A gout attack, or "flare," occurs when excess uric acid in the body begins to form crystals, triggering an inflammatory response in the joints or soft tissue causing extreme discomfort. While gout can affect several different joints, including elbows, knees and wrists, patients most commonly experience attacks in the big toe. The pain of a gout attack may interfere with everyday activities, including work and family events.

In addition to recommended diet and lifestyle changes, experts recognize that achieving and maintaining a healthy uric acid level in the body of less than 6.0 mg/dL can help reduce the risk of future attacks.

About the Arthritis Foundation

The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases.  

The Arthritis Foundation is the leading health organization addressing the needs of some 46 million Americans living with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability.

The Arthritis Foundation pursues its mission through a focus on:

• Research: The Arthritis Foundation is the largest nonprofit contributor to arthritis research in the world, advancing cutting-edge research in search of a cure for arthritis.
• Public Health: The Arthritis Foundation aims to increase public awareness of arthritis as the most common cause of disability, to prevent arthritis whenever possible, and to promote early diagnosis and access to the resources people with arthritis need to cope with their disease.
• Public Policy: The Arthritis Foundation works at both the national and local levels to advance legislative policy issues on behalf of the 46 million adults and approximately 300,000 children in America with doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

The Arthritis Foundation offers resources to people who live with gout and other forms of arthritis through many communications vehicles, such as the magazine Arthritis Today; through local offices across the country that offer resources and programs for people with arthritis; and through its website, www.arthritis.org.

About Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc.

Based in Deerfield, Ill., Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. are subsidiaries of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, the largest pharmaceutical company in Japan. The respective companies currently market oral diabetes, insomnia, rheumatology and gastroenterology treatments, and seek to bring innovative products to patients through a pipeline that includes compounds in development for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, gastroenterology, neurology and other conditions. To learn more about these Takeda companies, visit www.tpna.com.

SOURCE The Arthritis Foundation