Cephalon, Inc. Partners with American Chronic Pain Association and the American Pharmacists Association to Expand National Initiative On the Safe and Appropriate Use of Prescription Medicines

FRAZER, Pa., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Cephalon, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEPH) today announced that it has partnered with the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) to broaden the company's When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs(SM) program. This national education campaign provides patients, caregivers and the public with information about the abuse of prescription medications that affects as many as six million Americans and now surpasses the national use of most illegal "street drugs." The expanded program provides educational tools in select pharmacies across the country and online at the program website, www.GoodMedicinesBadDrugs.com. This new website features practical tips and information, including videos with leading experts in the pain and addiction community.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/cephalon/44932/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100623/MM25102 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100623/MM25102 )

As part of the program's expansion, Cephalon partnered with ACPA and APhA to develop educational materials for use in the pharmacy, providing patients, caregivers and the public with information on how to safely and appropriately use prescription pain medicines. These materials include a countertop display and a patient CARE card, a graphic-based tool that shows how to use, store and dispose of prescription medicines.

"Pharmacists play a key role in educating the public about prescription medicines, and the expansion of this program provides hands-on resources to support those conversations with the goal of reducing prescription pain medicine abuse," says Dr. Lesley Russell, Chief Medical Officer at Cephalon. "The When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs program is part of our continued commitment to patient education to help ensure that prescription medications are used safely and by the appropriate patients."

Prescription medications play an important role in the management of medical conditions for millions of patients. Through the When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs program, Cephalon and its partners plan to educate nearly three million people and help remind patients to keep their medications safe in the home.

"Prescription medicine abuse is a growing concern in our country, so we need to use every available channel to communicate about safe use. As pharmacists, we promote public understanding of risks and benefits of prescription medications," says Thomas E. Menighan, BSPharm, MBA, SCD, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association. "With a greater understanding of how to use and store medicines safely and appropriately, patients, parents and caregivers can protect themselves, their families and their communities from the effects of inappropriate use."

"People with pain deserve appropriate treatment for their condition, including prescription pain medicines, but one of our goals as an organization is to help people learn how to use them safely and correctly," says Penney Cowan, Founder and Executive Director of the American Chronic Pain Association. "We are proud to be a part of this valuable program and to be able to provide people with easy-to-understand information on prescription medicines, including how they should be taken and what things should be avoided, as well as safe storage and disposal."

About Cephalon, Inc.

Cephalon is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and bringing to market medications to improve the quality of life of individuals around the world. Since its inception in 1987, Cephalon has brought first-in-class and best-in-class medicines to patients in several therapeutic areas. Cephalon has the distinction of being one of the world's fastest-growing biopharmaceutical companies, now among the Fortune 1000 and a member of the S&P 500 Index, employing approximately 4,000 people worldwide. The company sells numerous branded and generic products around the world. In total, Cephalon sells more than 150 products in nearly 100 countries. More information on Cephalon and its products is available at http://www.cephalon.com.

About the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA)

Since 1980, the American Chronic Pain Association has offered peer support and education in pain management skills to people with pain, family and friends, and health care professionals. Today, several hundred ACPA support groups meet across the United States and in Canada, Great Britain, and many other countries. The ACPA's unique materials are a primary resource for individuals seeking to improve the quality of their lives and for the professionals who help them. To learn more about the ACPA, please visit www.theacpa.org, or call the National Office at 800-533-3231.

About the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the uniformed services.

In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide Cephalon's current expectations or forecasts of future events. These may include statements regarding anticipated scientific progress on its research programs; development of potential pharmaceutical products; interpretation of clinical results; prospects for regulatory approval; manufacturing development and capabilities; market prospects for its products; and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. You may identify some of these forward-looking statements by the use of words in the statements such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe" or other words and terms of similar meaning. Cephalon's performance and financial results could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements due to general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions affecting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries as well as more specific risks and uncertainties facing Cephalon such as those set forth in its reports on Form 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Furthermore, Cephalon does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits this discussion.

Contact:

Jenifer Antonacci

610-738-6674 (Office)

610-457-7059 (Cell)

jantonac@cephalon.com



SOURCE Cephalon, Inc.

Back to news