VIFOR PHARMA PRESS RELEASE 2018 IRON DEFICIENCY DAY

• This year’s Iron Deficiency Day (26 November 2018) aims to raise awareness of the
  serious public health problems posed by iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia
  and highlight the negative impact the condition can have on its sufferers.¹
• Iron deficiency is present in one-third of the world’s population.²
• It is most prevalent in premenopausal and pregnant women and children under five
  years of age.³
• This year, the Iron Deficiency Day Symptom Checker will use animated characters to
  bring the varied and numerous symptoms associated with iron deficiency and iron
  deficiency anaemia to life.

THE 2018 IRON DEFICIENCY DAY IS A CALL FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO GET IRONINFORMED AND TO UNDERSTAND WHY IRON IS IMPORTANT FOR THE BODY AND WHAT CAN
HAPPEN IF IRON LEVELS ARE NOT PROPERLY MANAGED. IRON DEFICIENCY REMAINS AN
UNDER-RECOGNISED AND UNDERESTIMATED CONDITION DESPITE ITS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS
CONSEQUENCES AND RELATIVELY HIGH PREVALENCE.^{6, 7}

Although iron deficiency can affect anyone, it is most prevalent in premenopausal women, pregnant
woman and children under five years of age³
. Iron deficiency, left untreated, can develop into iron
deficiency anaemia. The effects of iron deficiency differ from person to person, but they can be linked to
an overall decline in general health and well-being.¹³ Even without anaemia, iron deficiency can be
debilitating, exacerbate an underlying chronic disease and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.⁴
If
the condition develops, common symptoms include fatigue,^{5 , 9, 10} pale skin,⁵
brittle nails,^{5 ,11} craving nonfood items such as dirt, clay and ice^{5, 12} and an inability to concentrate.^{9, 13} However, the symptoms of iron
deficiency can manifest in different ways; they are hard to pinpoint and can be associated with a number
of other health conditions.^4,5 In children specifically, iron deficiency can significantly impair cognitive and
motor development.¹⁴

Not recognising the symptoms of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia is often the biggest
contributor to not seeking – and receiving – a diagnosis.⁴
Learning to identify the symptoms is an
important step towards finding the diagnosis. The new Iron Deficiency Day Symptom Checker will use
animations to elucidate the effects of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in order to educate
people in recognising the condition.

Dr. Diana Mansour, Consultant in Community Gynaecology and Reproductive Health Care and Head of
Sexual Health Services at New Croft Centre in Newcastle, United Kingdom, said: “Iron deficiency affects
so many women across the world and can have a significant impact on their health and quality of life.
Maintaining iron levels is particularly important in pregnant women, as it can affect not only a woman’s
health, but also the development of her unborn child. It is vital that we encourage women to recognise the
symptoms of iron deficiency so that they can talk to their healthcare providers and start to access the
support they need to manage their iron levels effectively.”

Prof Michal Matysiak, Department of Paediatrics, Haematology and Oncology, Medical University of
Warsaw, Poland stresses the point that there’s a real need to raise awareness of the serious
consequences of iron deficiency. “Even though it can have a major impact on a child’s development, iron
deficiency remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. This disease is the number one nutritional
deficiency globally. Greater awareness of iron deficiency and an understanding of its symptoms would
help correct that problem.”

FURTHER INFORMATION