Syneos Health Launches Ventilator Initiative to Raise Awareness of Bridging Option to Address Ventilator Shortage for COVID-19 Patients

www.COVID-BiPAPInfo.com Provides Practical Information for Physicians on Innovative Use of BiPAP Machines – Already Available in Many Hospitals – to Potentially Delay or Remove Need for Mechanical Ventilation for Appropriate COVID-19 Patients

Skipta Joins Syneos Health-Led Effort by Leveraging New COVID-19 UNITE Physician Community Platform

MORRISVILLE, N.C., March 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Syneos Health (Nasdaq: SYNH), the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization, today announced the launch of a Ventilator Initiative. This multi-disciplinary initiative is designed to raise awareness among healthcare providers about a bridging option, using intubated Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) devices for appropriate COVID-19 patients to address the predicted ventilator shortage.

The open access platform www.COVID-BiPAPinfo.com is now live and provides physicians with practical steps and training materials for use of BiPAP with intubated COVID-19 patients suffering respiratory failure.

The ongoing global spread of COVID-19 has resulted in high demand for mechanical ventilators with experts projecting not enough supply for patients in the coming months. As healthcare providers prepare to address this critical need, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance on March 22, regarding the use of certain devices, including noncontinuous ventilators delivering BiPAP, to treat patients with respiratory insufficiency on an emergency basis.ⁱ 

BiPAP devices are generally available in many hospitals and have the ability to delay or obviate the need for mechanical ventilation. Syneos Health recognized the need to educate frontline healthcare providers with this bridge option. The Company mobilized clinical and commercial leaders from across the organization with infectious disease, respiratory, critical care, and medical education and training expertise to make BiPAP informational and instructional resources available to healthcare professionals.

“Due to the projected critical global shortage of mechanical ventilators to care for critically-ill COVID-19 patients, the medical community urgently needs to know about alternative ventilation options and their use if we are to prevent loss of life,” said Keith Robinson, MD, a Syneos Health Medical Director and Critical Care Pulmonologist. “This BiPAP option needs to be shared with healthcare professionals around the world.”   

“Healthcare systems outside of metropolitan areas may find staff expertise is lacking and will find themselves required to treat outside of their specialty in response to the pandemic,” said Keith Gallagher, FACHE, Vice President, Government and Public Sector at Syneos Health and retired US Army Brigadier General. “This training is vital to support them as they bridge hospital care. We must use every option at our disposal and healthcare providers battling the pandemic must be armed with every bit of practical information and expertise available.”

Skipta, the largest social network of online medical communities, part of Informa Pharma Intelligence, has joined the effort, and will share BiPAP educational materials with their 700,000 strong online healthcare provider social network by launching a new COVID-19 focused physician community platform.

“We recognize the critical need to inform the healthcare professional community of the BiPAP option as a viable solution to deal with ventilator shortages,” said Skipta President, Founder and CEO Theodore Search, PharmD. “Our hope is that by helping to disseminate this information, healthcare professionals will be informed of this option when faced with equipment restraints hindering care.”

“This is an unprecedented time that demands creative solutions, and Syneos Health is committed to contributing in any way we can, including finding innovative ways to help treat those most severely impacted,” said Alistair Macdonald, Chief Executive Officer, Syneos Health. “We applaud the efforts of all of our colleagues and collaborators in this initiative who are raising awareness of this option to help save lives. We hope this effort provides support to those on the frontlines as they deliver care to patients who need it most.”

A white paper, podcast and other education materials are available at www.Covid-BiPAPinfo.com. To join the Skipta network and have access to COVID-19 UNITE, please visit www.skipta.com to find the community relevant to you. 

About Syneos Health
Syneos Health® (Nasdaq:SYNH) is the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization. The Company, including a Contract Research Organization (CRO) and Contract Commercial Organization (CCO), is purpose-built to accelerate customer performance to address modern market realities. Syneos Health brings together approximately 24,000 clinical and commercial minds with the ability to support customers in more than 110 countries. The Company shares insights, uses the latest technologies, and applies advanced business practices to speed its customers’ delivery of important therapies to patients. To learn more about how Syneos Health is shortening the distance from lab to life^®, visit syneoshealth.com. For information about Syneos Health’s response, preparedness, resources and perspectives on COVID-19 visit syneoshealth.com/covid-19-resource-center.

About Informa Pharma Intelligence
Informa Pharma Intelligence powers a full suite of analysis products — Datamonitor Healthcare, Sitetrove, Trialtrove, Pharmaprojects, Medtrack, Biomedtracker, Scrip, Pink Sheet and In Vivo — to deliver the data needed by the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry to make decisions and create real-world opportunities for growth.

Skipta, part of Informa’s Pharma Intelligence vertical, is the leading social network of specialized online medical communities for verified healthcare professionals (HCPs). Skipta’s growing network of more than 25 specialty communities allow verified HCPs to communicate and collaborate with peers in a focused, secure environment. The company enables pharmaceutical and biotech brands to drive awareness and behavior change by bringing to them multi-channel access to 700,000+ verified HCPs through integrated engagement programs.

With more than 500 analysts keeping their fingers on the pulse of the industry, no key disease, clinical trial, drug approval or R&D project isn’t covered through the breadth and depth of data available to customers. For more information, visit pharmaintelligence.informa.com.

Contact:

Syneos Health
Investor Relations Contact:
Ronnie Speight
Senior Vice President, Investor Relations
+1 919 745 2745
[email protected]

Press/Media Contact:
Danielle DeForge
Executive Director, External Communications
+1 202 210 5992
[email protected]

Informa Pharma Intelligence
Katleen Richardson
Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected]

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ⁱ U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Enforcement Policy for Ventilators and Accessories and Other Respiratory Devices During the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency. Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff. March 2020. https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/enforcement-policy-ventilators-and-accessories-and-other-respiratory-devices-during-coronavirus