 |
 |
 |
 |
|
UPR-Hco to Establish AMGEN -- B. Wallace Biotech Lab Program The University of Puerto Rico at Humacao (UPR-H) received a grant from the AMGEN Foundation, in the amount of $251,859 over the next three years, to establish the AMGEN - Bruce Wallace Biotechnology Lab Program throughout the central-eastern region of PR. “The AMGEN Foundation is proud to support the introduction of the AMGEN - Bruce Wallace Program in PR,” said AMGEN Puerto Rico Operations Vice President Emilio Rivera, who added that “The program gives teachers the tools to explore science in a unique way and spark student excitement about scientific discovery and potential careers in science.” First introduced in the US in 1990, this program raises science literacy by providing science educators training and ongoing support—with the same materials, tools and techniques used by professional scientists—through cutting-edge, hands-on laboratory experience. To date, the AMGEN Foundation has committed nearly $2 million to this program, which has reached more than 300 teachers and over 100,000 students in over 140 high schools and community colleges in California, Colorado, Washington and Rhode Island. “UPR-H’s commitment to science education is not only limited to undergraduate academic programs. As part of our efforts to help prepare the best science teachers on the island, we are implementing this program to provide comprehensive and systemic support to schools through innovation in the traditional learning approach,” said UPR-H Chancellor Dr. Hilda Colón, who added: “For years, UPR-H faculty has organized seminars, workshops, and summer internships for K-12 faculty as part of its community outreach efforts.” Both Rivera and Dr. Colón agreed that this project will complement other science education initiatives aimed to foster Puerto Rico’s development as a high-tech, knowledge based economy by exposing teachers and students to the type of laboratory equipment and materials they will find in the biotechnology industry. Volumen 12/ Issue 10/October 2008 J&J Grants Nursing Scholarships For a sixth consecutive year, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) granted $100,000 in scholarship awards to 51 nursing students of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). Since 2003, J&J has granted these awards to a total of 214 students. One hundred and twenty four students have been able to complete their degree program thanks to this aid. The awards were distributed by UPR President Antonio García Padilla; J&J Public Affairs Director Iris N. Ramos and J& J Contribution Committee Chairperson Eng. Carlos Rivera Vélez. At the event, Rivera-Vélez addressed the need to support nursing careers in Puerto Rico since statistics show that 20% of graduate nurses abandon the practice of their profession on the island. At the ceremony, Ramos said that J&J would be available to help create a joint-study committee, along with other participants, to identify causes for the loss of these professionals and specific actions to stem their exodus. Volumen 12/ Issue 10/October 2008 $92,000 PIA-PR Donation for Flood Victims in PR PIA-PR and its member companies presented a $92,000 donation to help families in Puerto Rico affected by recent floods, which resulted in over $50 million in damages. Thousands of these families` homes were emptied by the devastating waters. With this donation, which will be channeled through the American Red Cross - Puerto Rico Chapter, PIA-PR joins public and private effort to offer solution to this unexpected situation and brings hope to island residents who are coping with it. `The well-being of Puerto Rico and its people has always been a priority for PIA-PR and these catastrophic floods will not be the exception. This donation shows PIA-PR, its member companies and their associates` interest to provide the required support to the neediest,` stated PIA-PR Chairperson Daneris Fernández. The following PIA-PR member companies, among others, have joined in this effort: Abbott, AMGEN, GlaxoSmithKline, IPR Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Sanofi, Schering-Plough, and Wyeth. Volumen 12/ Issue 10/October 2008 Puerto Rico Wants “A” The Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF) recently presented its crusade to transform education in Puerto Rico into a world-class educational system at the PIA-PR General Managers Meeting. The initiative, called Puerto Rico quiere “A” invites citizens, businesses, and non-profit organizations to become agents of educational change. “When we talk about innovation, research and development as the future for the pharmaceutical industry, we are talking about an educational system that can provide the human resources capable of undertaking the challenge,” said PRCF President Dr. Nelson Colón, who invited PIA-PR members to join the initiative by signing and adopting the Educational Pact, a blueprint for a world-class education. The Pact, already signed by 125,000 supporters, seeks from political leaders a commitment of “adherence and continuity” until 2014 (two election cycles). Dr. Colón asked pharmaceutical industry leaders to actively participate in the crusade; he challenged plant managers to be among the top signers and sought the endorsement of the PIA-PR Board of Directors. If you want to learn more about the initiative, please visit its web site (www.prquierea.com). Lilly Global Day of Service For more than 130 years, Eli Lilly And Company has sought to earn the public`s trust by upholding the highest standards in the way it makes medicines, conducts business, and acts as a corporate citizen. To continue strengthening our communities, Lilly launched an initiative, Hands and Hearts, to encourage volunteerism and inease the commitment and engagement of its workfoe. On May 15, 2008, Lilly Puerto Rico joined 50 Lilly Affiliates around the world on a global day of service. Locally, Lilly employees visited Hogar Rosa y Moncho in Carolina, a shelter for 35 women with schizophrenia and severe depression, and Hogar Grupo de Niños con Necesidades Especiales in Guayama, a shelter for 12 children with physical and mental disabilities. During the day, more than 100 Lilly employees painted, made minor indoor and outdoor repairs and landscaped the facilities; they also donated toys, personal hygiene products and equipment to the shelters. AMGEN Grant to UPR Undergraduate Science Reseah Program The AMGEN Foundation announced the approval of a $1,000,000 grant over four years to the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) to establish the AMGEN Biotechnology Mentorship Initiative to Develop Science Program (“Bio- Mentes”), an undergraduate reseah program at five UPR campuses: Rio Piedras, Mayagüez, Medical Sciences, Cayey and Humacao. In addition, UPR has committed to providing $628,000 over the four years in matching funds to support the initiative. “Bio-Mentes” will take place throughout the academic year to strengthen students’ undergraduate science education, and the sustained level of engagement offered by the program will inspire students to explore summer reseah programs, graduate school and science-based careers. During the four years, approximately 200 undergraduate students will have completed a long-term academic year reseah experience under a UPR faculty mentor. Each student will receive a monthly stipend for performing supervised hands-on reseah in areas such as Industrial Biotechnology, Industrial Miobiology, Bioprocess Engineering, Bioengineering, Bioseparations, Biochemistry and Biostatistics. “This program will foster Puerto Rico’s development into a high-tech, knowledge-based economy, by exposing our science students to reseah experiences at the undergraduate level. Such exposure will better prepare them for the challenges they will meet as future professionals in the life-sciences sector,” said UPR President Antonio Gaía Padilla, who added that “By doing this, we support the island’s economic development strategies, and we continue fostering knowledge generation in this important field.” AMGEN’s leadership in Puerto Rico expressed its strong support of the grant approval, as the company has been working closely with universities and schools throughout the United States and Puerto Rico to enhance the quality of science education. The “Bio-Mentes” program builds on the AMGEN Foundation’s AMGEN Scholars program, a hands-on summer reseah experience currently running at 10 leading universities in the United States. In 2007, fifteen undergraduates from Puerto Rico spent the summer at MIT, Stanford, Berkeley and other top universities and were among the 238 college students who participated as AMGEN Scholars. “This is an excellent opportunity for Puerto Rican college students to enhance their knowledge in biotechnology and science in general. We are delighted that the AMGEN Foundation continues its collaboration with UPR in initiatives that strengthen the island’s competitiveness as a biosciences manufacturing jurisdiction, while also enhancing the quality of science education on the island”, stated AMGEN Vice President of Puerto Rico Operations Emilio Rivera. All students will perform their reseah under the mentorship of a faculty member at their corresponding UPR campus. The 200 students will have the opportunity to communicate through a biotech blog, submit a report on their findings, and present their reseah at the annual AMGEN Biotech Undergraduate Reseah Meeting to be held at one of the five UPR campuses. PPA Raising Awareness of Chronic Disease ineases in PR too Representatives of The Partnership for Presiption Assistance (PPA)—a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical reseah companies that is raising awareness of patient assistance programs and the need to effectively address the rising and alarming rates of chronic disease—were in San Juan on February 4 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center to help uninsured and financially-struggling Puerto Ricans access information on programs that provide presiption medicines for free or nearly free. PPA also informs patients on innovative new medicines in development to fight chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. To date, it has helped nearly 5 million patients nationwide, including over 14,000 people in Puerto Rico. Launched in April 2005, the one-stop PPA clearinghouse has helped provide information on more than 475 patient-assistance programs, including nearly 200 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. Patients can visit the easy-to-use PPA Web site (www.pparx.org) or call the PPA toll-free phone number (1-888-4PPA-NOW) where trained operators field calls in 150 languages. `PPA is helping thousands of patients every day,` said Pharmaceutical Reseah and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO Billy Tauzin. “No one’s helped by a medicine that sits on the shelf and is out of reach financially. We will keep coming back to Puerto Rico as long as there are people who need our help. With the number of people affected by chronic disease ineasing every year, the PPA and its message of hope is now more relevant than ever,` Tauzin added. According to the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD)—a national coalition working to save lives and reduce healthcare costs through the prevention and management of chronic disease—more than 133 million Americans have at least one chronic disease. Chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the United States, in addition to causing a myriad of health problems. These chronic diseases shorten lives, reduce quality of life, and eate considerable burdens on caregivers, making it imperative that those who suffer have access to the medicines they need. Chronic disease is an unremitting problem on the island as well. PFCD information is available at their Web site (www.fightchronicdisease.org). PhRMA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Paul Antony has stated that `Puerto Rico residents have one of the highest rates of diabetes and asthma in the nation. Breast cancer is the most common and most deadly type of cancer among Puerto Rican women. It’s time for us to change how we fight these chronic diseases. Chronic disease is a major portion of healthcare costs, and its rates are rising. We want to do our part to help uninsured and financially-struggling Puerto Ricans with chronic disease get access to information on programs that offer free or nearly free presiption medicines.` New medicines are in development to fight chronic disease: America’s pharmaceutical reseah companies are currently working on 646 medicines to treat several types of cancer, 95 medicines for diabetes and 59 medicines to treat asthma. These innovative medications and treatments, along with improved access to presiption assistance program information through the PPA, may help to reduce the number of deaths caused by chronic disease every year. More than 1,300 national, state and local partners—including the Coalición de Coaliciones |