P&G Health commemorates Neuropathy Awareness Week 2023 with an effort to help people 'Put Life Back in Their Hands'

• Dons the purple ribbon for the 2^nd consecutive year to raise awareness on Peripheral Neuropathy, a condition significantly underdiagnosed and undertreated in Asia, Middle East & Africa
• Releases new research study highlighting the role of B Vitamins in supporting healthy nerve functions

SINGAPORE, May 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- P&G Health, the health care division of Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) makers of Neurobion, announced its 'Put Life Back in Your Hands' campaign for the second consecutive year commemorating Neuropathy Awareness Week 2023 across 18 countries in Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a chronic clinical condition, wherein the peripheral nervous system is damaged. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include numbness, tingling, prickling, and burning sensations in the hands and feet. Sufferers of PN report impacts on their quality of life including reduced physical abilities and poor sleep.

With diabetes mellitus being the leading cause^[1] of PN, the increasing prevalence of PN is closely linked to the rise in the number of diabetic patients. The total number of diabetes patients in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa is forecast to reach 603 million by 2045^[2], with an estimated 50% of diabetic patients are developing Peripheral Neuropathy during their life. Besides diabetes mellitus, aging, alcoholism, and B vitamins deficiencies are other high-risk factors leading to peripheral nerve damage.

Aalok Agrawal, Senior Vice-President, P&G Health, Asia, India, Middle East & Africa said, "Neuropathy and Nerve health issues continue to be underdiagnosed and undertreated in our region. For the 2nd consecutive year, P&G Health is donning the purple ribbon for 'Neuropathy Awareness Week' to help more people in understanding and addressing Peripheral Neuropathy and its associated complications. Our teams across 18 markets will be working closely with healthcare professionals and medical organizations, authorities, consumers, and patients to raise awareness through creative online and offline activations, and physical screening camps and use of digital self-screening tools to bring to life everyday challenges faced by people suffering from PN and highlight the role of early diagnoses and timely treatment."

DID YOU KNOW?

• Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) are often misinterpreted by primary care physicians as many patients have difficulty in describing their symptoms, and therefore are not treated correctly^[3].
• Patients are often not aware of symptoms and their association with nerves or ignore them. A recent survey indicated that up to 57% of type 2 diabetic patients were undiagnosed with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy^[4].
• If PN is not diagnosed early and treated timely, it may progress into neuropathic pain which significantly impacts quality of life, social life and working life^[5].
• Painful diabetic PN is significantly associated with disruptions in employment status and work productivity. Of working patients, 59% reported being less productive at work ^[6].
• Diabetic PN is seen in very high proportion of diabetes patients in Southeast Asia; in some countries up to almost 60%^[7].

Vitamin B1, B6, and B12 play essential roles in the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B1 provides energy to the nerves, vitamin B6 helps with signal transmission in nerves, while vitamin B12 helps with neuronal regeneration. 

NEW RESEARCH STUDY

P&G Health is committed to initiate and support research in the area of nerve health and peripheral neuropathy.

An in-vitro study initiated by P&G Health found that neuronal health, as defined by cell viability, neurite growth and the generation of a healthy neurite network significantly improves when nerve cells were grown under vitamins B1, B6, and B12^[8].

• In the absence of B vitamins, cell viability was impaired and thus neurite growth at day 3 – 4 was seen decreasing area of cell body clusters and reduced neurite length.
• The study showed that when Vitamin B1, B6, and B12 were added to nerve cultures, there was an increase in total neurite length of 124% and an increase in the total cell body area of 55%.
• Nerve network of cells nourished with B1, B6, and B12, also doubled.

*The in-vitro study was done with healthy nerves cell.

"Through scientific forums such as 'Demystify Neuropathy' we will also be bringing health experts from across the global and region to share and exchange clinical insights into how we can improve nerve health via understanding the etiology of Peripheral Neuropathy, conducting simple 5-steps of diagnosis, and providing timely management including improving B vitamins deficiencies," Aalok added.

Disclaimer: Indications of Neurobion may differ in different countries, please check with your local healthcare professionals for more information.

About 'Put Life Back in Your Hands' campaign:

'P&G Health Put Life Back in Your Hands' campaign is inspired by the symptoms such as numbness and tingling felt by those suffering with PN, shedding light on how those with the condition are not able to feel the same joy and delight when going about routine activities, negatively impacting their ability to get things done and consequently their emotional wellbeing.

About P&G Health: 

P&G Health, the health care division of P&G company, combines breakthrough Science with deep patient and consumer understanding to deliver trusted, quality, recommended superior products that empower people to live healthier and more vibrant lives. The P&G Health portfolio includes leading brands in Respiratory with Vicks® and Nasivin®, Pregnancy with Femibion® and Clearblue®, Oral Care with Crest® and Oral-B®, Vitamins and Minerals Supplementation with Bion3®, Seven Seas®, Evion® and Sangobion®, Digestive wellness with Metamucil®, Prilosec OTC®, Pepto Bismol® and Align®, Neurobion® and Dolo-Neurobion®.

About Procter & Gamble:

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide.

References:

[1].  Landmann G. Ars Medici. 2013;1: 18-21[2].  International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Atlas 10^th Edition, 2021[3].  Boulton AJM, et al. Diabetes Care. 2004;27: 1458-1486.  I  2. Freynhagen R, et al. Curr Med Res Opin. 2006;22:1911-1920.[4].  Ziegler D, et al. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2018;139: 147–154.[5].  Connor AB. Pharmacoecon. 2009;27: 95–112.[6].  Allemann CJM. Diab Res Clin Practice. 2015;109: 215–225.[7].  Malik, R.A., J Diabetes Investig 2020; 11: 1097-1103[8].  Banek N et al., Int J Phys Med Rehab 2022, 10 (18):1000002