Allergan and Lindora Offer Support for Gastric Banding Surgery
We received the following press release from Allergan today, regarding a new partnership and support program for people who undergo a gastric banding procedure:
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Allergan, Inc. and Lindora, Inc. Partner to Provide Customized Weight-Loss Support Program for Patients Following Gastric Banding Surgery
– Online Program Offers Dietary Counsel and Weight-Management Tools to Help Achieve Sustained Weight Loss –
IRVINE, CA., January 28, 2009 – Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) and Lindora, Inc., America’s leading therapeutic weight control program, today launched a new online weight-loss management program called, the LAP-BAND® System Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Program (LAP-BAND® TLC). The LAP-BAND® TLC Program was designed to address the specific needs of patients in adopting a healthy lifestyle and diet following the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System procedure and facilitate sustained weight loss. The Program will supplement the services provided by bariatric surgeon offices, and offer additional nutritional guidance by medical professionals and nutritionists and a suite of online weight-loss management tools, offering patients personalized support to help them lose weight. The LAP-BAND® TLC Program is offered exclusively to post-surgery LAP-BAND® System patients and is available via www.lapband.com and through bariatric surgeon offices across the country.
“Making the decision to undergo the LAP-BAND® System procedure is a life-changing decision, as many of these patients have lived for years with a life compromised by obesity, “said Robert Grant, corporate vice present and president of Allergan Medical, a division of Allergan, Inc. “Given the significance of this decision, the patient faces several challenges from emotionally preparing for surgery to adjusting to the diet and lifestyle modifications required after. Therefore, to surround patients undergoing the LAP-BAND® System procedure with best-in-class tools to ensure successful weight management, we partnered with leaders in this space to create a program that will meet their needs by providing nutritional guidance, tips on necessary lifestyle changes and keeping them engaged throughout their weight-loss journey.”
The LAP-BAND® TLC Program reflects Allergan’s TotalCare™ approach to patient care, providing support through every step of the patient journey – pre- and post-surgery. Currently, Allergan offers an online patient support program, My LAP-BAND® Journey, available on www.lapband.com. My LAP-BAND® Journey is an interactive and personalized support program that offers tools and services to support patients pre-and post-surgery. The LAP-BAND® TLC Program will complement Allergan’s post-surgery support program.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Allergan on the LAP-BAND® TLC Program and take comfort in knowing that we share a common goal of helping those suffering from obesity become lean for life,” said Cynthia Graff, President and CEO of Lindora. “We’ve been impressed by the extraordinary commitment that Allergan is making to their patients by launching this new service. It incorporates many of the proven dietary and lifestyle principles that Lindora has developed over the past 35 years. Patients will, no doubt, recognize just how much ‘tlc’ (tender loving care) has been put into this new online support program.”
The LAP-BAND® TLC Program was built upon Lindora’s medical expertise in weight-loss management and customized to meet the specific needs of LAP-BAND® System patients. The Program services include: daily counseling on dietary and exercise habits by nurse coaches and health educators, psychological support to provide motivation, tools to adopt optimal eating patterns, as well as educational seminars on LAP-BAND® System-related topics, such as importance of a support network and post-surgery follow up.
“As a bariatric surgeon, a post-surgery support program is a critical component to a patient’s weight-loss journey,” said Sunil Bhoyrul, M.D., Surgical Associates of La Jolla, California. “In my experience, the gap for patients occurs during the time after surgery, where a patient had a LAP-BAND® System procedure, yet does not always feel prepared and ready to take on the daily challenges of adhering to a healthy lifestyle and manage the emotional and physical changes that occur following significant weight loss. The early experiences my patients have had with the
LAP-BAND® TLC Program have validated that it is an invaluable program to use, in combination with the services provided by bariatric centers, to give the education and motivational support patients need to lose weight and cope with the life changes following surgery.”
To learn more about the LAP-BAND® TLC Program go to, www.lapband.com.
About the LAP-BAND® System
The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved adjustable gastric band for use in weight reduction. Used in more than 400,000 procedures worldwide, this reversible surgically implanted device has safely helped severely obese adults successfully achieve and maintain long-term weight loss. The LAP-BAND® System is approved for use with severely obese adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more or for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one severe obesity-related health condition, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and asthma. The LAP-BAND AP® System, launched in 2007, is an evolution of the LAP-BAND® System. The LAP-BAND AP® System was developed to provide an additional tool to meet the needs of a wide range of patients and represents the most advanced technology currently available in gastric banding.
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF RELEVANT INDICATIONS FOR USE, CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS, AND ADVERSE EVENTS FOR THE LAP-BAND® SYSTEM.
Indications: The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System is indicated for use in weight reduction for severely obese patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 40 or a BMI of at least 35 with one or more severe comorbid conditions, or those who are 100 lbs. or more over their estimated ideal weight. The LAP-BAND® System is indicated for use only in severely obese adult patients who have failed more conservative weight-reduction alternatives, such as supervised diet, exercise, and behavior modification programs. Patients who elect to have this surgery must make the commitment to accept significant changes in their eating habits for the rest of their lives.
Contraindications: The LAP-BAND® System is not recommended for non-adult patients, patients with conditions that may make them poor surgical candidates or increase the risk of poor results, (e.g., inflammatory or cardiopulmonary diseases, GI conditions, symptoms or family history of autoimmune disease, cirrhosis), who are unwilling or unable to comply with the required dietary restrictions, who have alcohol or drug addictions, or who currently are or may be pregnant.
Warnings: The LAP-BAND® System is a long-term implant. Explant and replacement surgery may be required at some time. Patients who become pregnant or severely ill, or who require more extensive nutrition may require deflation of their bands. Patients should not expect to lose weight as fast as gastric bypass patients, and band inflation should proceed in small increments. Anti-inflammatory agents, such as aspirin, should be used with caution and may contribute to an increased risk of band erosion.
Adverse Events: Placement of the LAP-BAND® System is major surgery and, as with any surgery, death can occur. Possible complications include the risks associated with the medications and methods used during surgery, the risks associated with any surgical procedure, and the patient’s ability to tolerate a foreign object implanted in the body.
Band slippage, erosion and deflation, reflux, obstruction of the stomach, dilation of the esophagus, infection, or nausea and vomiting may occur. Reoperation may be required.
Rapid weight loss may result in malnutrition, anemia, or other complications that may require additional surgery. Deflation of the band may alleviate excessively rapid weight loss or esophageal dilation.
Important: For full safety information please visit www.lapband.com or call Allergan Product Support at 1-800-624-4261.
CAUTION: This device is restricted to sale by or on the order of a physician.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” including the statements by Robert Grant, Cynthia Graff and Sunil Bhoyrul, M.D., and other statements regarding the safety, efficacy and market potential of the LAP-BAND® System and the LAP-BAND® TLC Program. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from Allergan’s expectations and projections. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, general industry, economic and medical device market conditions; technological advances and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in the research and development and regulatory processes; challenges related to product marketing, such as the unpredictability of market acceptance for new medical device products; inconsistency of treatment results among patients; the potential for product or program failures; potential difficulties in manufacturing new products or creating new programs; and governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations. Allergan expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors can be found in press releases issued by Allergan, as well as Allergan’s public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading “Risk Factors” in Allergan’s 2007 Form 10-K and subsequently filed Form 10-Qs. Copies of Allergan’s press releases and additional information about Allergan are available on the World Wide Web at www.allergan.com or you can contact the Allergan Investor Relations Department by calling 1-714-246-4636.
About Allergan, Inc.
Founded in 1950, Allergan, Inc., with headquarters in Irvine, California, is a multi-specialty health care company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices that enable people to live life to its greatest potential — to see more clearly, move more freely, express themselves more fully. The company employs more than 8,500 people worldwide and operates state-of-the-art R&D facilities and world-class manufacturing plants. In addition to its discovery-to-development research organization, Allergan has global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit Allergan’s Web site at www.allergan.com.
About Lindora, Inc.
Cited as an authority by “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America ” and CNN as well as a number of nationally respected newspapers and magazines, Lindora Medical Clinics offers a multi-faceted, medically supervised program combining diet, moderate exercise and motivational tools to help patients become Lean for Life®. Emphasizing the philosophy of “Eat Better, Move More, Stress Less™” ” Lindora helps thousands of patients each day at its Southern California clinics as well as via online and workplace programs, books, products and telephone coaching for those opting to lose weight from the comfort of their homes.
Lindora partnered with Rite Aid to establish Lindora Health Clinics in select Rite Aid locations to increase public access to medically supervised weight control services as well as offer non-emergency, acute care services. In addition, Lindora is a co-founding member of the Convenient Care Association, an organization representing healthcare facilities that provide routine, non-emergency services to walk-in patients at pharmacies and retailers nationwide. Lindora is a member of the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management, a coalition composed of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Federal Trade Commission, Center for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. For more information, call (800) LINDORA or visit www.lindora.com.
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Surgery News | Senior Editor | 
January 28, 2009 11:41 am
By Dr. Barbara L McGraw, January 29, 2009 @ 7:06 am
So glad this is happening. So many people are getting the Band and are not caring for it or understand the new life style. The LapBand can cause serious problems is not cared for and understood properly. It is very effective and life saving if life style changes can be made. this takes specific education.