BRIDGEWATER, N.J., April 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Nestlé Health Science (NHSc), a leader in science-based nutritional solutions, announced its collaboration with Virtual Health Partners, Inc. (VHP), a virtual health and wellness company. The companies have joined forces to launch the innovative COPES™ (Cancer Oriented Personalized Eating & Emotional Support) program, a revolutionary virtual platform designed specifically to provide nutrition and wellness support for patients with cancer.

"We are eager to introduce our patients to this new platform. The COPES™ program will help us offer our patients access to nutrition specialists, as well as lifestyle and fitness support from the comfort of their own home, and is designed to help them throughout their course of treatment," said Dr. Bruno Fang, Oncologist and Hematologist at Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA). "This new program, which is accessible 24/7, is truly the first of its kind and I know our patients will appreciate having ongoing support after leaving the clinic."

Research shows that the majority of patients with cancer suffer from nutritional deficits. 
Up to 84% of patients with certain cancer types experience some form of weight loss and/or malnutrition during their cancer treatment¹.  The COPES™ program provides access to live,
one-on-one nutrition counseling appointments, support groups, and classes tailored especially for the needs of patients with cancer, at any time—day or night.  This resource also includes an on-demand media library featuring recipes and meal plans that may be filtered by symptom, as well as lifestyle modification and fitness classes. The COPES™ program is available exclusively through healthcare providers.

"Our COPES™ platform provides patients with on-demand nutrition and wellness support after leaving the clinic and at every stage of their cancer journey," stated Dr. Mary Christ, Global Medical Leader of the e-Health Incubator at Nestlé Health Science.  "We are excited to launch this collaboration and bring forward our innovative solution which addresses key needs of oncology patients."

"Working with the doctors who treat patients with cancer and complementing their care with around-the-clock nutrition, lifestyle and fitness support is a priority for Virtual Health Partners," said Jillian Cohen, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of VHP.  "We have specifically designed the COPES™ program to help oncology patients meet their unique nutritional needs, while also being mindful of any side effects and nutritional challenges that they may be experiencing."

The COPES™ Platform is not intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of diseases.  Further, it is not intended to be a substitution, or replacement for a medical provider or referring provider, nor does it provide medical advice.

To learn more about COPES™, visit myCOPES.com.

About Nestlé Health Science
Nestlé Health Science (NHSc), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nestlé, is a globally recognized leader in the field of nutritional science. At NHSc we are committed to empowering healthier lives through nutrition for consumers, patients and their healthcare partners. We offer an extensive consumer health portfolio of industry-leading medical nutrition, consumer and VMS brands that are science-based solutions covering all facets of health from prevention, to maintenance, all the way through to treatment. NHSc is redefining the way we approach the management of health in several key areas such as pediatric health, allergy, acute care, oncology, metabolic health, healthy aging, gastrointestinal health, and inborn errors of metabolism. Headquartered in Switzerland, NHSc employs over 5,000 people around the
world, who are committed to making a difference in people's lives, for a healthier today
and tomorrow.
For more information, please visit www.nestlehealthscience.us.

About Virtual Health Partners™
VHP is an innovator in health and wellness, focusing on live virtual nutrition, fitness and lifestyle modification within a contained ecosphere of support. Offered exclusively through a network of participating partners, including Hospital Systems, Physicians, Medi-Spas, Fitness, Insurance, Health & Wellness, Medical Device, Pharmaceutical and Nutrition Supplement Companies, the Company's Business-to Business-to-Consumer (B2B2C) model provides a SaaS and PaaS solution that is fully scalable and cost-effective. Through a proprietary Privacy and HIPAA compliant platform, VHP is able to provide a turn-key virtual solution for its business partners across various verticals including fitness, wellness, oncology, weight loss, fertility, orthopedics and plastic surgery.
For more information, visit www.virtualhealthpartners.com.

All trademarks are owned by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland or used with permission.
©2019 Nestlé. All rights reserved. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 U.S.A.
References: 1. Hebuterne X, Lemarie E, et al.  Prevalence of malnutrition and current use of nutrition support in patients with cancer.  JPEN. 2014; 38(2):196-204.

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SOURCE Virtual Health Partners

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