Nonprofit Pharmaceutical Company Urges Americans to Help “Change the Answer" for Poor People in the Developing World Who Lack Access to Medicines
The Institute for OneWorld Health, the US-based non-profit pharmaceutical company that develops drugs for people with neglected infectious diseases in the developing world, today announced it is launching a new awareness campaign inspired by the highly acclaimed Oscar-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.
Over 1 billion people a year suffer from neglected diseases and it is poor children like the film’s characters who are most likely to die from preventable and treatable diseases.
Using the unique window of opportunity to leverage America’s heightened interest in the developing world, OneWorld Health is increasing its efforts to raise awareness about neglected diseases afflicting the world's poor.
OneWorld Health is running a full-page ad in the New York Times on Monday, Feb. 23. Slumdog Millionaire, an underdog story about poverty, love and hope, won eight Oscars at last night’s Academy Awards ceremony, including Best Picture.
The ad is part of a series of efforts to raise awareness about the tremendous need for life-saving medicines in developing countries. OneWorld Health will also unveil online advertising, social media initiatives and visibility activities in partnership with other global health organizations, and participate in a special forum on philanthropy and global health organized by the United Nations, Committee for Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) and World Health Organization.
“More than 1 billion people a year suffer from a neglected disease. Too frequently, it is children who live in rural areas, urban slums or in conflict zones who die from otherwise preventable and treatable diseases,” said Richard Chin, M.D., OneWorld Health’s Chief Executive Officer. “Films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ are bringing new attention to the lives of the poorest among us and we hope this heightened awareness will move people to act on their behalf.”
About the Institute for OneWorld Health
The Institute for OneWorld Health, the first US nonprofit pharmaceutical company, develops safe, effective and affordable medicines for people with neglected diseases of the developing world. The Institute for OneWorld Health, headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) US corporation. (http://www.oneworldhealth.org/). Media resources are available at http://www.oneworldhealth.org/media/index.php/ <http://www.oneworldhealth.org/media_center>
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Contacts:
for Institute for OneWorld Health
Deborah Schneider, (1)
415-277-6973
dschneider@prandcompany.com