InterHealth Canada – Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital is expected to receive a pharmaceutical shipment of Mircera valued at nearly US$16,000 from Roche Pharmaceuticals to help treat anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Mircera is one of two drugs used by the health care provider in the treatment of anemia for dialysis patients. Comparatively, the drug is the most recent molecule, which is equally efficient in both performance and safety profile, more cost effective and requires a single injection per month as opposed to 12 injections per month or 3 times per week after every dialysis treatment based on the patient’s medical need as determined by a qualified medical professional.

Mircera is injected under the skin, or into a vein through an IV.Mircera injection contains a man-made form of a protein normally produced by the kidneys that helps the body produce red blood cells. Patients can develop a condition called anemia (lack of red blood cells) if the body does not produce enough of this protein due to kidney failure.

Representatives of Roche Pharmaceuticals, Chanta Williams-Gray, Country Coordinator for Bahamas, Bermuda and Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr Esteban Coto, Medical Manager for Roche Pharmaceuticals in Costa Rica and Dagni Prosa, Medical Representative for Roche Pharmaceuticals visited TCI Hospital on December 05, 2017 to deliver a presentation to clinical staff ahead of the incoming shipment.

The presentation led by Dr Esteban Coto was titled “Anemia of Chronic Kidney Disease Management with long-acting ESAS (Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents). The CME provided a refresher course on the treatment of anemia in dialysis to improve clinical outcomes.

The number of dialysis patients in Turks and Caicos Islands has nearly doubled over the past six years from 23 in 2010 to 41 patients in 2016 and now 45 thus far in 2017. Patients who are determined to be in need of dialysis’ services utilize the country’s sole in-centre Hemodialysis unit at TCI Hospital for essential treatment.

Roche Pharmaceuticals is a trusted manufacturer and along with Lowes Wholesale Drug Agency have forged a valuable partnership with TCI Hospital over several years.

Roche Pharmaceuticals is focused on translating excellence in science into effective medicines for patients. It combines cutting-edge research at Roche, Genentech in the US, Chugai in Japan and over 150 partners worldwide with global scale and reach in clinical development, manufacturing and commercial operations.

InterHealth Canada – Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital expressed gratitude for the generous donation, which bolsters the pharmacy drug supplies and helps to reduce some of the operational cost of dialysis services for a period.