Dr Paul Janssen, once said that ‘there is so much more to be done; the patients are waiting’. This statement is as true today as it was then. He dedicated his life to creating medicines that would address the unmet needs of millions of patients and we continue to live by this mission every day. Janssen has a longstanding heritage in neuroscience and continues to be a pioneer in the field; one of Dr Paul Janssen’s first medical breakthroughs was the development of a medicine for people suffering from schizophrenia that allowed them to be treated without the need for institutionalisation. This was part of a wave of new treatments that revolutionised how patients with mental health problems lived their lives and dramatically improved the standard of care.

Our understanding of psychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative diseases has evolved at a tremendous rate since the 1950’s. But, while our scientific knowledge in this field has increased, so has the number of people affected by mental health issues – for example, it is estimated that in Europe, schizophrenia affects 3.7 million people and more than 40 million people are now living with depression.[1][2]

Mental health conditions are associated with considerable disability and high economic and social costs – in Europe, up to a third of the population live with mental health problems.[3] [4] In 2015, the number of in-patient bed days for mental and behavioural disorders in the EU was more than 83 million – second only to diseases of the circulatory system.[5]

The impact of these conditions goes beyond just affecting our health. Mental health conditions are:

• associated with significant rates of mortality
• the main cause of disability and early retirement in many countries
• a major burden to economies - in 2010, mental disorders were shown to cost the global economy US$2.5 trillion.[6] [7]

We remain committed to investing in research and development in areas of greatest need like neuroscience because patients need innovative medicines more than ever to help them regain their lives.

To tackle the most serious threats to human health, from mental health and cancer to chronic disease and auto-immune diseases, we are committed to working side-by-side with healthcare stakeholders, through trusting and transparent partenerships.

We are all united by this focus and our mission is to deliver innovative, differentiated medicines that address the most serious unmet medical needs. Disease does not rest, and that is why we will not rest while patients are still waiting #WeWontRest

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References

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