Merck Serono Supports 6th International Thyroid Awareness Week

Darmstadt, Germany (ots/PRNewswire) -

- For the 6th time in a row Merck Serono takes part in the International
Thyroid Awareness Week with focus on HIGH FIVE
- Five reasons to be aware of thyroid disease: Thyroid cancer, autoimmunity,
infertility, anxiety/depression, and iodine deficiency

Merck Serono, the biopharmaceutical division of Merck, together
with Thyroid Federation International (TFI) today announced the
International Thyroid Awareness Week, which will run from May 25 to
31, 2014. For the 6th consecutive year, Merck Serono and TFI join
forces to launch the international awareness campaign this year
entitled HIGH FIVE! - FIVE REASONS TO BE AWARE OF THYROID DISEASE.
Five conditions associated with thyroid dysfunction will be the
center of attention: thyroid cancer, autoimmunity, infertility,
anxiety & depression, and iodine deficiency.

"Merck Serono is pleased to be part of the International Thyroid
Awareness week. This initiative is an established and highly regarded
global awareness campaign which is endorsed by the American Thyroid
Association (ATA), the European Thyroid Association (ETA), the Latin
American Thyroid Society (LATS) and the Chinese Society of
Endocrinology (CSE)," said Meeta Gulyani, Head of Strategy and Global
Franchises at Merck's biopharmaceutical division Merck Serono. Since
the start of the 1st International Thyroid Awareness Week in 2009,
the campaign has attracted increasing attention. Today its website
(http://www.thyroidweek.com) is available in 11 languages.

Ashok Bhaseen, President of Thyroid Federation International
added, "One never realizes how important the thyroid is unless it
causes problems, and when it does, the impact is widespread,
affecting many organs and systems. Globally, an estimated 1.6 billion
people are at risk of thyroid disease and up to 60% of them could be
unaware of it."

Left untreated, thyroid disorders can cause serious health
problems such as cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis[1], as well
as infertility[2], mood disorders and cognitive impairment[3]. This
year's campaign provides information on how to take care of the
thyroid with respect to the following five conditions:

Thyroid cancer: Thyroid cancer often develops in lumps or nodules.
A self-exam called "Thyroid Neck Check"[4] can help to detect nodules
early. Fortunately statistics show that only one in every ten nodules
harbors cancer cells. Thyroid cancer, especially if detected early,
has an excellent recovery rate.[5]

Autoimmunity: The thyroid gland itself can become the target of an
aberrant immune system and develop autoimmune thyroid disorders such
as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease. Treatment of both of
these disorders requires life-long medication.[6],[7]

Infertility: Thyroid dysfunction is an often over-looked cause of
infertility. If women who plan to start a family don't realize the
failure of their thyroid gland, they risk miscarriage, preterm
delivery, and severe problems in the development of their
children.[1] A normally functioning thyroid gland is essential to
both men and women; thyroid hormones influence sperm production,
ovulation, implantation and maintenance of a healthy pregnancy.
Treatment of the thyroid disorder can restore fertility, provided
thyroid failure was the only cause of infertility.[2]

Anxiety/depression: Modern imaging techniques suggest a link
between hypo/hyperthyroidism and mood disorders, however relation
between both is not fully understood.[3] Hypothyroid individuals have
a tendency to show signs of depression and cognitive impairment,
whereas hyperthyroidism is more closely linked to forms of anxiety
and depression[8]. New mothers are especially vulnerable to
postpartum thyroiditis (PPT) and postpartum depression.[9] Luckily,
anxiety and depression that accompany thyroid dysfunction are
reversible in most cases by treating the thyroid dysfunction.

Iodine deficiency: Iodine is a critical nutrient for a healthy
thyroid at all stages of life. It plays an important role in festal
and infant development and thyroid hormone production. An examination
by a physician is the best way to find out whether the iodine supply
is correct.

References:

[1] American Thyroid Association. General Information. 2014
http://www.thyroid.org/media-main/about-hypothyroidism Accessed
February 2014

[2] Krassas GE, Poppe K, Glinoer D (2010) Thyroid function and
human reproductive health. Endocr.Rev. 2010 31:702-755

[3] Hage MP and Azar ST. The Link between Thyroid Function and
Depression. J Thyroid Research 2012; 2012: 590648 doi:
10.1155/2012/590648

[4] AACE Thyroid Awareness. Neck Check.
http://www.thyroidawareness.com/neck-check Accessed February 2014

[5]National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Facts: Cancer of the
Thyroid http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/thyro.html Accessed
February 2014

[6] Chronic thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000371.htm Accessed
January 2014

[7] Graves'disease. American Thyroid Association. 2012
http://www.thyroid.org/what-is-graves-disease Accessed January 2014

[8] Chakrabarti S. Thyroid Functions and Bipolar Affective
Disorder. J Thyroid Res. 2011; 2011: 306367. Full text available:
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jtr/2011/306367 Accessed January 2014

[9] American Thyroid Association. Postpartum thyroiditis. 2012
http://www.thyroid.org/postpartum-thyroiditis Accessed January 2014

About the Thyroid Federation International (TFI)

The Thyroid Federation International first convened in Toronto at
the 11th International Thyroid Congress in September 1995. Diana
Meltzer Abramsky, who in 1980 founded the Thyroid Foundation of
Canada in Kingston, Ontario Canada, first advocated the vision of a
world thyroid patient organization to deal with the problems of
thyroid disease in a global perspective. Since then the Federation
has grown to include thyroid organizations in many parts of the
world, including Europe, North and South America, Australia and
Japan. TFI is an independent, worldwide network of patient-support
organizations. The Federation works together for the benefit of those
affected by thyroid disorders by providing information and raising
awareness, by encouraging and assisting the formation of
patient-oriented groups, and by working closely with the medical
professions. TFI has a Medical Advisory Board, which consists of some
of the most eminent thyroid specialists in the world.

For more information, please visit
http://www.thyroid-fed.org/tfi-wp

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck. With
headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, Merck Serono offers leading
brands in 150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple
sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic disorders as well as
cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono
operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets
prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in
specialist indications. We have an enduring commitment to deliver
novel therapies in our core focus areas of neurology, oncology,
immuno-oncology and immunology.

For more information, please visit http://www.merckserono.com.

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Merck is a leading company for innovative and top-quality
high-tech products in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors. With
its four divisions Merck Serono, Consumer Health, Performance
Materials and Merck Millipore, Merck generated total revenues of EUR
11.1 billion in 2013. Around 38,000 Merck employees work in 66
countries to improve the quality of life for patients, to further the
success of customers and to help meet global challenges. Merck is the
world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company - since 1668, the
company has stood for innovation, business success and responsible
entrepreneurship. Holding an approximately 70 percent interest, the
founding family remains the majority owner of the company to this
day. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany is holding the global rights to the
Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are Canada and the United
States, where the company is known as EMD.

ots Originaltext: Merck Serono GmbH
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