Findings show care for chronic liver disease patients is falling on non-specialists who need stronger education and support to ensure patients receive timely, optimal care¹

LAVAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / October 8, 2024 / Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) and its gastroenterology (GI) business, Salix Pharmaceuticals ("Salix"), today released Liver Health Trends Report in Action, the latest Liver Health Annual Trends Report dedicated to sparking actionable change to improve liver disease management and outcomes for patients. Healthcare provider (HCP) survey participants called for holistic, multi-disciplinary treatment approaches, consistent use of non-invasive screening tools (e.g., FIB-4 Index) and better education to identify at-risk patients sooner and prevent future complications of severe liver disease.¹

Approximately 4.5 million adults in the United States are diagnosed with chronic liver disease (CLD), which can lead to cirrhosis.² Often, cirrhosis indicates permanent liver damage, so earlier diagnosis and prevention are critical for patients living with liver disease. As of 2022, CLD is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. with mortality associated with CLD projected to nearly triple by 2030. ^2,3 When compared to patients with chronic heart failure, people with cirrhosis have nearly double the post-emergency department visit mortality rate (6.9% vs 12.2%, respectively), reinforcing the need for broader use of risk-stratification tools and for increased awareness of cirrhosis-associated risks by all HCPs. ⁴

"Recent liver disease trends are alarming, and as the number of patients needing care rises and the number of specialists declines, too often patients are left waiting or lost to follow-up until they have symptoms of irreversible liver disease," said Nancy Reau, MD, section chief of hepatology at Rush Medical Center. "While progress in liver disease management has been made, it is evident that challenges remain. More consistent use of diagnostic tests and scores helps identify severe disease earlier, and elevated national attention on liver disease as a public health priority may help lessen the burden of illness on the broader healthcare system."

Liver Health Trends Report in Action encompasses key learnings from 2020-2023 Liver Health Annual Trends Reports, new secondary and primary market insights, as well as forty in-depth interviews with physicians who treat liver disease across various practice settings to reveal insights on diagnosis, management and barriers to liver disease care. Physicians participating in this survey report that advances in liver disease management are achievable given the provision of resources and tools by their practice or organization's leadership.¹

"The Liver Health Annual Trend Reports have provided profound insights, and now we must take action and champion the practical solutions outlined by participants in this survey to slow or reverse the distressing trends from the past four years," said Aimee Lenar, Executive Vice President, US Pharma, Bausch Health. "Bausch Health and Salix have been leaders in driving awareness and therapies for patients suffering from severe forms of liver disease and we are investing in the development of new therapies for the future."

Additional findings highlighted in the 2024 report include the need for¹:

• Awareness of the shift away from single-specialty management (hepatologist) to a multidisciplinary care model

• Greater adoption of user-friendly, evidence-based guidelines for the management of liver disease that may be adapted for all practice settings

• Investing in resources to support a shift from high-cost inpatient care to community-based care

• Better understanding of the current screening guidelines for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in adult patients

• Increased awareness of the importance of risk stratifying liver disease patients using noninvasive screening tools and risk scores

• More access to continuing education material and tools

• Expanding the use of electronic health record (EHR), artificial intelligence (AI), and other appropriate digital tools to improve communication and alignment with evidence-based care

Click here to visit the comprehensive report.

Findings from the interviews were analyzed to determine key themes and organized into 3 sections: Action Steps for (1) Physicians Practicing in the Primary Care Setting, (2) Hospital-based Physicians, and (3) Leadership of Group Practices, Hospitals, and Health Systems. A resource section is included that contains evidence-based guidelines in screening and managing MASLD and cirrhosis and examples of provider and/or patient resources.

About Bausch Health

Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) is a global diversified pharmaceutical company enriching lives through our relentless drive to deliver better health care outcomes. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals and eye health, through our controlling interest in Bausch + Lomb Corporation. Our ambition is to be a globally integrated healthcare company, trusted and valued by patients, HCPs, employees and investors. Our gastroenterology business, Salix Pharmaceuticals, is one of the largest specialty pharmaceutical businesses in the world and has licensed, developed and marketed innovative products for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases for more than 30 years. For more information about Salix, visit www.Salix.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information about Bausch Health, visit www.bauschhealth.com and connect with us on LinkedIn.

References

1. Aventria Health Group. (2024). Liver Health Trends Report in Action. Salix Pharmaceuticals. LiverHEalthNow.com

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, September). Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/liver-disease.htm

3. Estes, C., Razavi, H., Loomba, R., Younossi, Z., & Sanyal, A. J. (2018). Modeling the epidemic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease demonstrates an exponential increase in burden of disease. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 67(1), 123-133. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.29466

4. Elhence, H., Dodge, J. L., Flemming, J. A., & Lee, B. P. (2024). Emergency Department Utilization and Outcomes among Adults with Cirrhosis from 2008 to 2022 in the United States. Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology: the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, S1542-3565(24)00764-X. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2024.07.029

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SOURCE: Salix Pharmaceuticals