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World Mental Health Day: Servier committed to mental illness

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Servier reiterates its commitment to support patients, in particular those suffering from depression. Mental illnesses, can be very debilitating and have a strong therapeutic need, and therefore have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients, as well as that of their loved ones.

World Mental Health Day is held every year at the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and in partnership with the United for Global Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health. This year, the WHO is appealing for a massive investment in improving mental health, in particular. The organization estimates that countries spend an average of only 2% of their health budgets on neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, even though nearly one billion people worldwide are estimated to suffer from a mental disorder.

Always committed to working for and with patients, Servier has notably collaborated with GAMIAN-Europe to co-create two brochures for people suffering from depression. GAMIAN-Europe is an organization that brings together more than 60 patient associations representing and defending the interests and rights of people with mental illness. These materials also allow family and friends to better understand depression, while facilitating the relationship between the patient and the health care professional.

Servier is also active in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. In 2019, the Group joined forces with Oncodesign, a French biotech company specializing in precision medicine, to explore a new avenue of research on the therapeutic effect of inhibitors of the LRRK2 kinase (corresponding to a gene with mutations involved in the development of Parkinson’s) that could slow the progression of the disease. Approximately 6.3 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s disease.

Learn more about depression

Learn more about Parkinson’s disease