Clay Walker, Country Music Star And Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Patient Urges Others To "Stick With It"

FRAZER, Pa., March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Country music singer Clay Walker today announced the launch of "Stick With It!," a national public service announcement campaign to educate relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients about the importance of remaining adherent to a disease management routine for the long-term. Teva Pharmaceuticals and Band Against MS (BAMS) -- the charity Walker founded a decade ago to help those living with the disease -- have teamed up for this campaign. The kick-off of "Stick With It!" is in conjunction with Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week and will raise money to fund MS research via the campaign Facebook page www.facebook.com/stickwithitRRMS.

For every action the public takes to promote awareness, Teva will make a $1 corporate donation for MS research (up to $25,000). Actions include: liking http://www.facebook.com/StickWithItRRMS or asking the public to share their favorite "Stick With It!" routine. In addition to supporting a worthy cause, the public can access tips and helpful information on the site such as questions to ask the doctor and the importance of adhering to a routine to manage RRMS.

Research has shown that combining a treatment regimen with lifestyle management including proper diet and exercise can actually reduce the frequency of relapses. But clinical studies show that patients who had gaps in therapy lasting ≥90 days were nearly twice as likely to experience a severe relapse. 

"The challenge is that in between relapses, patients with RRMS might not have any apparent symptoms or might even improve. Therefore, patients often 'feel' better and opt to go off their medication and deviate from the routine that is working for them," said, Gabriel Pardo, M.D., Director of the OMRF Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence. "This campaign helps to remind patients that sticking with their routine is the best way to manage their disease, and encourages those who haven't found what works for them, to work with their doctor to find a routine that does."

"Stick With It!" reinforces how patient adherence to a management routine that is working for them is critical to the success of managing RRMS. The public service announcements will run throughout the year.

"There's a lot of information out there about RRMS, and some of it can be confusing," says Walker.  "But it's important not to give up -- it took almost a year of working with my neurologist before I found the routine that worked best, and now that I have found my groove, I stick with it and encourage others to do the same."

About Clay Walker
Walker was diagnosed with RRMS, the most common form of MS, in 1996 at the age of 26 with symptoms that included tingling, numbness and facial spasms. The diagnosis of this lifelong and unpredictable disease came at a pivotal time in his life, as he had recently finished recording his fourth album and his oldest daughter was just born. Over the course of his country music career, Walker has sold over 11 million albums, has had 11 number one hit singles, and achieved four Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) platinum and two gold certified albums.

About Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system. Symptoms may be mild, such as numbness in the limbs, or severe, such as paralysis or loss of vision. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. In the U.S. today, there are approximately 400,000 people living with MS. In relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form of the disease, a person experiences attacks (also called relapses or exacerbations) of worsening neurologic functioning followed by periods of remission in which partial or complete recovery occurs.

For more information on the "Stick With It" campaign, please visit http://www.facebook.com/StickWithItRRMS or http://www.bandagainstms.org.  

About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA) is a leading global pharmaceutical company, committed to increasing access to high-quality healthcare by developing, producing and marketing affordable generic drugs as well as innovative and specialty pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Headquartered in Israel, Teva is the world's leading generic drug maker, with a global product portfolio of more than 1,000 molecules and a direct presence in about 60 countries. Teva's branded businesses focus on CNS, oncology, pain, respiratory and women's health therapeutic areas as well as biologics. Teva currently employs approximately 46,000 people around the world and reached $20.3 billion in net revenues in 2012.

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SOURCE Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.