Boehringer Ingelheim Highlights Latest Community and Research Initiatives in Advancing Anticoagulation Care at American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2015

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Nov. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2015, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced two key milestones for the company's initiatives in advancing anticoagulation care. The announcement includes the launch of the 4WARD Coalition's shared decision making tool, as well as the winner of the second Anticoagulation Call to acTion (ACT) Initiative, an innovative grant program that invites Academic Centers of Excellence to identify unmet needs and address areas of interest in anticoagulation care research.

"The 4WARD Coalition and ACT Initiative highlight Boehringer Ingelheim's ongoing commitment to improving the quality of care for AFib patients and investing in addressing the unmet needs of the broader AFib community," said Paul Fonteyne, president and chief executive officer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "The importance of collaborating with experts across disciplines is paramount to helping ensure the best possible outcomes for patients, and we are excited to continue our support for these initiatives."

4WARD Coalition Launches Shared Decision Making Conversation Cards

The 4WARD Coalition, a multi-disciplinary collaboration of experts with knowledge and insight from various care settings, is launching the 4WARD Conversation Cards, a new tool to facilitate informed discussion and shared decision making between healthcare providers and their AFib patients. Featuring a set of interactive discussion cards, the tool will help healthcare providers engage patients in an informative dialogue about stroke risk, while informing and encouraging a collaborative decision-making process regarding treatment options. The Coalition designed the resource after identifying the need for a clear, concise tool to promote a two-way conversation between healthcare providers and AFib patients.

The 4WARD tool was piloted with a group of healthcare providers and patients and, following the unveiling at the 2015 AHA Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida, will be available to healthcare providers across the country.

"The launch of the 4WARD Conversation Cards marks the Coalition's first step toward helping to improve anticoagulation care," said 4WARD co-chair J. Donald Easton, M.D., Clinical Professor of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco. "We're confident this tool will enable physicians to have more effective conversations with their AFib patients about increased stroke risk and treatment options."

"We examined a range of AFib resources to identify unmet needs in the development of this shared decision making tool, and we are confident that it will complement existing resources and empower AFib patients to be more informed, active decision makers in their treatment plans," added 4WARD co-chair Christian T. Ruff, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

New Research Grant Announced for Winner of ACT Initiative

Also during the AHA Scientific Sessions, Boehringer Ingelheim announced that it is awarding the second ACT Initiative research grant to Partners HealthCare. Partners HealthCare includes founding members Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, both of which are Harvard Medical School teaching affiliates. The proposal, presented by Moussa Mansour, M.D., was selected based on the innovative research approach focused on a multidisciplinary treatment pathway for AFib, which includes utilization of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), early involvement of cardiologists, and cardioversion for appropriate candidates to improve adherence to AFib treatment guidelines and patient outcomes.

Through the second round of the program, 250 requests for proposals were sent to Academic Centers of Excellence known for their reputation in AFib and stroke to study and address unmet areas of interest in anticoagulation care research. The winning research project was selected by an External Review Committee following a live presentation and question and answer session. 

"The caliber of the ACT proposals we've received illustrate not just the interest in this creative grant process, but also how this approach can generate such novel ideas," said Hugh Calkins, M.D., member of the External Review Committee and Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Electrophysiology Laboratory and Arrhythmia Service, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA. "We look forward to seeing the initial outcomes of the research from Dr. Mansour and his team at Partners HealthCare, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in the near future."

The ACT Initiative is an innovative program launched by Boehringer Ingelheim in May 2015. Academic Centers of Excellence have the opportunity to submit innovative anticoagulation research proposals related to patient care and outcomes, patient education, patient advocacy, healthcare provider education or improving the healthcare provider-patient dialogue about AFib. Selected proposals are eligible to receive up to $500,000 in research funding. The research programs are to be implemented and outcomes presented within one year of receiving the grant.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with 146 affiliates and more than 47,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel treatments for human and veterinary medicine.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. To learn more about how we make more health for more people, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

In 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $16.96 billion dollars (13.3 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 19.9 percent of its net sales.

For more information please visit www.us.boehringer-ingelheim.com, or follow us on Twitter @BoehringerUS. 

SOURCE Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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