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International Herpes Management Forum (I

International Survey Uncovers Need for Improvements in Genital Herpes Management

Paris (ots)

Patient and Physician Insights Presented at International Herpes  
 Management Forum Annual Meeting
Many people living with genital herpes are not satisfied with how
this common infection is managed, according to the results of a
year-long international survey of patients and physicians presented
at this weekend's 10th Annual Meeting of the International Herpes
Management Forum (IHMF). The survey also uncovered issues and
concerns with diagnostic methods, impact on sexual relations and
approaches to treatment. The survey, called INSIGHTS, the
International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF)/Novartis Pharma
AG/International Herpes Alliance (IHA) Genital Herpes Treatment
Survey, was conducted primarily via the Internet, and included
responses from 2'075 patients and 622 physicians from more than 90
countries.
One out of two patient respondents (51%) said they were
dissatisfied with the answers and attention their physicians provided
about the physical aspects of the condition (e.g., symptoms, pain
management) upon diagnosis. The majority of patient respondents (63%)
were also dissatisfied with the answers and attention regarding
social and emotional issues provided by their physician, and many
(36%) felt their physician was unsympathetic when diagnosing the
condition.
In the physician arm of the survey, nearly all physicians (98%)
said it was important to address the psychological impact of genital
herpes with patients when initially diagnosed with the infection.
"When people are first diagnosed with genital herpes they are
hungry for information about both the physical and psychological
impact of the condition," said Claire Hurst, Chair, International
Herpes Alliance. "Physicians may provide some degree of information
and counselling, but this survey found that there is a gap between
how much and what type of information people living with the
infection want and what they are actually getting."
Patients Worry About Impact on Sex Life and Telling Others They
Have Disease
Patients surveyed reported that their major concerns upon being
diagnosed with genital herpes were the impact on their sex/love life
(53%), whether it was curable (37%) and how easily the virus can be
passed, or transmitted, to others (36%). An overwhelming majority
(93%) said that genital herpes affected their sex life. Importantly,
in the physician arm of the survey, 59% of physicians said they were
comfortable talking to their patients about sexual practices in the
context of genital herpes.
Additionally, most patients told someone they had genital herpes -
69% told their partner, 43% told friends and 33% told family. Of
those who told someone, however, 71% found it difficult to do so.
"It is understandable that patients are concerned about the impact
that genital herpes will have on their sex lives, particularly
because patients can transmit the virus to their partner even when
they do not have signs of the infection," added Ms. Hurst. "That is
why it is so important that organizations like the IHA continue to
provide patients with advice and tools for how they can tell people,
especially their sexual partners, that they have genital herpes. The
more people talk about genital herpes, the more people will
understand it, learn to live with it and reduce the chance of
transmission."
Treatment Options
Although genital herpes is a lifelong infection, it can be managed
with information, education and the effective prescription of
antiviral medications. Patients can take these medications to speed
healing when symptoms appear (episodic therapy) or can take them
daily as a preventive measure to reduce the number and severity of
outbreaks (suppressive therapy). Seventy-five percent of patient
respondents said their physician recommended a prescription
medication at diagnosis, and 66% of those found the prescription
useful.
When told that taking medication every day could significantly
reduce the number of outbreaks, 84% of survey respondents said they
would be likely to take it. However, among the 65% of respondents
reporting current use of a prescription antiviral medication, less
than one-third (30%) took it suppressively. Answering a question on
barriers to therapy, 21% of patients said they did not know they
could take a medication every day.
Concerns With Diagnostic Practices
Correct diagnosis has been cited as a major issue in the control
of genital herpes given that many persons with the infection do not
recognize its symptoms. Even for health care professionals, in fact,
recent studies have shown that diagnosing genital herpes based on
physical evidence alone is unreliable.
In this survey, more than half of patients surveyed (58%) reported
that their physicians diagnosed them with genital herpes based on a
laboratory test (e.g., through culture or blood test). This
diagnostic practice adheres to IHMF guidelines recommending that
diagnosis of genital herpes be confirmed by reliable assays.
One-third of patients (34%), however, reported that their physicians
made a diagnosis solely based on physical examination.
"The findings of this survey provide health care providers with
important information about how sexually transmitted diseases like
genital herpes are diagnosed and managed in real-life clinical
practice," said David Patrick, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at
the University of British Columbia and member of the IHMF Board. "The
IHMF is committed to providing physicians with the proper information
and tools needed to accurately diagnose and treat genital herpes and
to working with the IHA to improve physician-patient interaction and
overall patient outcomes."
About the Survey
Genital herpes patients were surveyed from February 2002-January
2003, primarily via the IHA Web site (www.herpesalliance.org).
Physicians were surveyed from December 2001-December 2002, primarily
via the IHMF Web site (www.ihmf.org) and at a series of international
medical meetings. INSIGHTS was designed to gain a better
understanding of patient needs and physician perceptions on genital
herpes management. The surveys did not match patients to their
physicians.
"We are pleased with the overwhelming response to the survey and
will continue to support IHMF and IHA in their efforts to disseminate
these important findings to physicians and patients worldwide," said
Robert Charnas, PhD, Global Medical Director, Novartis Pharma AG.
Thirty-six percent of patients in the survey were diagnosed for
less than one year. Sixty-six percent of patients were single, 16%
were living with someone and 18% were married. The most commonly
reported healthcare professionals to diagnose patients in the survey
were general practitioners (39%) and obstetrician/gynaecologists
(29%). Physicians who completed the survey may have been more attuned
to genital herpes management; thus, their experiences may not reflect
that of the wider physician community.
About Genital Herpes
Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-1
is the virus that primarily causes cold sores in the mouth but can
also cause genital herpes through oral genital contact. HSV-2 is
transmitted sexually and is usually the primary cause of genital
herpes. Despite affecting millions of people worldwide, approximately
80 percent of people with genital herpes do not know they are
infected.
International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF)
The International Herpes Management Forum (IHMF) comprises
international specialists involved in all aspects of the clinical
management of herpesvirus infections. Through debate and an exchange
of knowledge, the Forum aims to provide practical guidelines for
healthcare professionals who treat herpesvirus infections.
International Herpes Alliance (IHA)
The International Herpes Alliance (IHA) is a charity organization
dedicated to advancing the well-being of people with genital herpes,
and to optimize the care and information (www.herpesalliance.org)
available to people with herpes around the world. It is supported by
national patient groups, national and regional governmental
organizations, and the pharmaceutical industry.

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Holly Blum
Media Contact
Tel. +1/212/798‘97‘41