Janssen celebrates World IBD Day

World IBD Day takes place annually on 19 May and the theme this year is ‘Improving quality of life for people with IBD’. The European Federation of Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis Association (EFCCA) coordinates the day and it is led by patient organisations representing 38 countries on four continents. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammatory conditions that includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affecting five million people worldwide.

To mark World IBD Day, EFCCA is working with national associations across the world to light up famous landmarks in purple (the colour for World IBD Day) to raise awareness of IBD. These images will be shared on the World IBD Day website and via social media using the hashtag #unitedwestand2016. EFCCA will also distribute findings from their recent IMPACT study, which explored the negative impact that IBD has on a patient’s quality of life, with particular concerns around education, work and private life. Janssen will also mark the day with a number of internal activities to celebrate the day.

Janssen is committed to investing in immune and inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease can be incredibly burdensome, affecting people in many ways with numerous physical and psychosocial comorbidities including depression, stress, anaemia and colorectal cancer. , , We are building our expertise and capabilities to pursue the next-generation of therapeutic solutions to bring new hope to people living with IBD.

Facts for Crohn’s disease:

• In Europe 250,000 people are living with Crohn’s disease, with over 32,000 people diagnosed every year?

• Anyone can be affected by Crohn’s disease at any age, although it most often impacts those between the ages of 15 to 35 in both men and women

• While common in northern climates, for example Canada and Scandinavia, the prevalence of Crohn’s disease is also very high in specific countries such as New Zealand and Australia