%%% MS-Tag: Roche launches ‘I’ll stay’ campaign, Merck cooperates with Twitch, Biogen presents services under the umbrella brand %%%
For this year’s World MS Day, various pharmaceutical companies have communicated their campaigns and services for people with multiple sclerosis. For the twelfth time, World MS Day on May 30, 2020 draws attention to the concerns of people with MS, as can be found out about the event from the German Multiple Sclerosis Society, which itself has a TV spot on its motto for Awareness Day produced ‘Together with Strong’ (see report). The international framework theme for World MS Day proposed by the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation is therefore ‘Connections’. Various pharmaceutical companies reported on their own activities on the topic of MS in the run-up to the awareness day.
Roche launches campaign ‘I’ll stay despite ms’
Roche Pharma AG, Grenzach-Wyhlen, announced the start of a new campaign to strengthen people with MS on World MS Day. The campaign ‘I stay despite MS’ should encourage those affected to face the chronic nervous disease MS and to continue living their lives independently. The main focus is the website IchbleibeIch.de. It is intended to provide inspiring stories from those affected, interactive elements and further information on MS. The campaign kicks off with a digital ‘Connection Day’, a livestream on the website, planned for World MS Day from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Actor and presenter Wayne Carpendale accompanies the virtual day of action as part of the Roche campaign. In addition to music and yoga sessions, the program includes a poetry slam and interviews with those affected and MS experts. The campaign is a further development of Roche’s existing patient campaign ‘Dare despite ms dreams’ and focuses on empowering those affected. There is a film about the current campaign. The 60-second I stay I Despite MS. The manifesto for living with an illness. ‘ can be seen on the YouTube channel of ‘despite ms’.
Merck cooperates with Twitch
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, has announced that it will work with Twitch on World MS Day to improve understanding of the effects of MS. Twitch is a live streaming video portal and online provider of multiplayer entertainment. Merck and Twitch are planning an eight-hour livestream event with Twitch influencers, which will take place on World MS Day under the official motto ‘MS Connections’ to increase public awareness and networking among those affected. Guests include Luke Thomas, responsible for fundraising and engagement at the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), Dr. Wallace Brownlee, MS specialist and specialist in neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, as well as three community members who themselves have MS. The livestream is also intended to collect donations for the MSIF. The highlights of the event will be shown on twitch.tv.
Andrew Paterson, head of the Neurology & Immunology business at Merck, says: “We are aware that MS is about more than just the physical effects of the disease. Chronic diseases like MS can also lead to social exclusion that has occurred since the outbreak by Covid-19, while modern technology makes it easier than ever to get in touch with each other, and online activities such as video games are increasingly used to connect virtually and create a sense of community. We hope that this cooperation with Twitch connects people with MS in a new way. ” The company explains that Twitch has long been involved in charity initiatives with its consistently 1.5 million logged-in users and an average of 15 million users per day.
Biogen presents MS Services under the umbrella brand 360
Biogen GmbH, Munich, reported in mid-May 2020 that its service program under the new umbrella 360 is aimed at people with MS to make them stronger for their everyday life with the disease. With these 360 services, presented at ms360grad.de, Biogen has set itself the goal of answering questions, reinforcing topics and offering psychological support. Biogen includes the online portal mein.ms-life.de, his MS accompanying program ‘Together strong’, his MS Service Center for information by phone, email or video line, and the Cleo app Diary function, chat function as well as information and patient stories. With the patient services, Biogen wants to support people with MS as individually as possible and on different communication channels, so that those affected have the resources and information available to make self-determined and psychologically strict decisions for themselves.
The new umbrella brand is intended to facilitate an overview of the various offers and channels, also so that doctors and MS nurses can communicate the services more easily. The microsite ms360grad.de went live at the start of the communication campaign in February, a spokeswoman said. “We have planned an extensive multichannel campaign. We focus heavily on raising awareness among doctors and MS nurses, since their recommendation is an important factor for patients.” In the next phase of communication towards patients, cooperation with bloggers and online and social media measures are pending. In addition, there are advertisements and measures in patient publications and classic media. At Biogen, communication measures for the 360-degree services are the responsibility of Peter Hepfinger, Senior Manager Communications, and Maria-Theresa Grundler, Associate Director Patient Services. The branding under the roof ms360grad.de supports the Schmid: holy advertising agency from Munich.
Other companies are active in the field
Other companies, including Sanofi Genzyme and Teva, provided information about their activities ahead of World MW Day.
Sanofi Genzyme in Neu-Isenburg, Sanofi’s Specialty Care Business Unit, took up the keyword research, among other things. The need for innovative treatment options for the progressive forms of MS is particularly high, it said in a message from mid-May. Therefore, Sanofi Genzyme continues to focus its research efforts on multiple sclerosis. Among other things, the company has a so-called BTK inhibitor in the pipeline, which should be used in all forms of MS and which is also entering the final phase of clinical development in Germany in a timely manner. The company also provides people with MS with better disease management services. The website ms-begleiter.de provides information about Sanofi Genzyme’s support tools for people with MS.
Teva GmbH, Ulm, referred to their portal aktiv-mit-ms.de, with which they have been offering those affected a platform for many years. The website includes tips for everyday life with MS, background information on the disease and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other sufferers. More than 20,000 users per month use the offer, Teva reported in a message dated May 20, 2020. In addition to the information offered, the forum in particular was well received by users.
Similar contributions:
May 2020: German Multiple Sclerosis Society launches new TV spot
January 2020: Biogen relies on personalized content for the MS patient portal ‘mein mslife’
October 2019: Roche sends the ‘Despite MS’ campaign on tour
August 2018: Merck expands patient portal on multiple sclerosis with video series with Dr. Whimper
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