BHC Bausch Health Companies Inc

• Released During Liver Health Awareness Month and Based Primarily on HCP-Market Research, Salix Pharmaceuticals' Liver Health Annual Trends Report Finds More than One-Third of Gastroenterologists Surveyed Have Seen an Increase in Patient Hospitalizations Due to Cirrhosis Over the Past Year
• Report Points to Reimbursement Challenges as Negatively Affecting Management of Chronic Liver Disease, as Reported by Survey Respondents

LAVAL, QC, Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Salix Pharmaceuticals ("Salix"), the gastroenterology business of Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) ("Bausch Health"), today released the Salix Liver Health Annual Trends Report, Second Edition with the latest information on chronic liver disease (CLD) care and findings that include a continued rise in hospitalizations and mortality from CLD and cirrhosis, as well as gaps in care and knowledge that may prevent early diagnosis and optimal management of CLD, cirrhosis and its complications.

The trends report, which is based on a survey of 400 health care providers (HCPs) who treat patients with CLD, qualitative interviews with HCPs, and secondary research from peer-reviewed publications, reveals shortfalls in the adoption of national treatment guidelines, particularly among primary care physicians (PCPs). Perceived issues with payer coverage (due to prior authorization complexity/rejections) and high out-of-pocket costs/inability to afford treatment were found to be the leading factors negatively impacting treatment initiation or causing treatment disruptions.

"Salix is committed to delivering resources that inform, educate and help health care providers improve the care of people living with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and complications such as hepatic encephalopathy," said Nicola Kayel, vice president, GI Marketing, Salix. "This year's report points to a continued rise in mortality from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, now outpacing diabetes or stroke among those 25-54 years old¹. It's clear from both patient and provider research that there's a real need for more education and engagement resources to support the management of CLD. It is our hope the Salix Liver Health Annual Trends Report will increase awareness of this growing public health concern, help bridge the knowledge gap, and provide tools for health care providers that may improve identification and management of the disease."

The Salix Liver Health Annual Trends Report is being released in October during Liver Health Awareness Month as part of an effort to equip health care providers with the most current information on liver disease.

"The Global Liver Institute applauds the publication of this year's Liver Health Annual Trends Report which will help bring better understanding of the personal and societal impact of chronic liver disease and potentially help address its under-diagnosis and under-treatment among the approximately 4.5 million adults in the U.S. living with the disease²," said Donna R. Cryer, JD, founder and CEO, Global Liver Institute.

Complete findings from Salix's Liver Health Annual Trends Report as well as health care provider resources to help identify and manage patients with CLD and cirrhosis can be viewed at LiverHEalthNow.com.

Select findings from the report include:

• 34% of gastroenterologists surveyed report seeing increases in patient hospitalizations due to alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver during the past year
• 38% of the respondents were unaware of and/or could not name national guidelines for the management of CLD
• 55% of PCPs and 49% of nurse practitioners/physician assistants in the survey are not comfortable treating overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) and seek a consult
• 50% of providers surveyed report a patient's ability to pay out-of-pocket expenses is very or extremely important to CLD patient outcomes

About the Methodology Behind Liver Health Annual Trends Report
The Liver Health Annual Trends Report on chronic liver disease (CLD) includes information collected from an online survey, qualitative telephone interviews, and secondary research from peer-reviewed publications. An independent third-party recruiting firm invited over 400 health care providers to participate in this research project during May 2022. Provider participation (N=400) in the survey required individuals to be active in clinical practice and treat more than 4 CLD patients annually and were comprised of the following subgroups: 100 community-based gastroenterologists, 100 institution-based specialists, 100 primary care physicians (PCPs), and 100 nurse practitioners/physician assistants (NPs/PAs). In addition to completing the online survey, 15 physicians and 5 NPs/PAs also completed in-depth telephone interviews (Table 1). Quotes from the in-depth interviews throughout this report represent the opinions of those responders. As it pertains to the online survey, analysis of the data was conducted by utilizing QPSMR data analysis software.

The report strives to be representative of all physician segments' lived experience and the diversity that exists within the United States with respect to patient management and the economic and social factors that impact the management of CLD patients. Due to the limitations of this report, not all findings may be generalizable to the larger CLD provider and patient populations. In addition, this report does not contain all questions asked in the survey and in-depth interviews.

Secondary Research of Peer-Reviewed Publications
Secondary research was conducted utilizing Google and PubMed searches to identify relevant peer-reviewed publications and sources as noted in the report. Furthermore, treatment utilization and claims data were sourced from IQVIA. Secondary research may not reflect all published data. A systematic review was not performed. While included publications are peer reviewed, this secondary research as a whole was not.

To raise awareness and knowledge of CLD and HE, Salix also offers other online resources including:

• UnderstandingHE.com: offering patients/caregivers HE information and resources on how to work with their health care provider to help manage the disease, a complication of cirrhosis
• UnseenEpisodes.com: offering health care providers information about the unseen aspects and considerations in managing patients with HE

Salix Pharmaceuticals is one of the largest specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world committed to the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. For more than 30 years, Salix has licensed, developed and marketed innovative products to improve patients' lives and arm health care providers with life-changing solutions for many chronic and debilitating conditions. Salix currently markets its product line to U.S. health care providers through an expanded sales force that focuses on gastroenterology, hepatology, pain specialists and primary care. Salix is headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information about Salix, visit www.Salix.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global diversified pharmaceutical company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals and eye health, through our controlling ownership interest in Bausch + Lomb. With our leading durable brands, we are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health.

This news release may contain forward-looking statements about the future performance of the Company, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "subject to" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to the Company's overall business, including those more fully described in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference.

©2022 Salix Pharmaceuticals or its affiliates.
SAL.0112.USA.22

¹ Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Arias E. Deaths: final data for 2019. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 70(8). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021.
² Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. Accessed September 9, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/liver-disease.htm

Gianna Scalera
salixcommunications@salix.com 
(908) 541-2110

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/salix-pharmaceuticals-releases-liver-health-annual-trends-report-underscoring-challenges-in-caring-for-growing-chronic-liver-disease-and-cirrhotic-patient-population-301646728.html

SOURCE Bausch Health Companies Inc.