Critical Community Needs

Baxter helps communities worldwide address a broad range of needs, in addition to access to healthcare. These include improving education, reducing medication errors and increasing patient safety, supporting youth services, and protecting the environment. Baxter's business units, functions and manufacturing facilities contributed $27.2 million in 2010 to targeted organizations and causes worldwide, with nearly 50% donated outside the United States.

Highlights from 2010 include:

World Hemophilia Day: In April 2010, Baxter observed the 21st anniversary of World Hemophilia Day. Since its creation in 1989 in honor of the World Federation of Hemophilia's (WFH) founder Frank Schnabel, World Hemophilia Day has not only served as a day of celebration for the hemophilia community, but also as an opportunity to increase awareness of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders and their impact on the global community. Baxter joined forces with the WFH to launch "The Many Faces of Bleeding Disorders – United to Achieve Treatment for All" educational video podcast to raise awareness of the impact of bleeding disorders, including hemophilia, symptomatic carriers of hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies and inherited platelet disorders, and to call attention to disparities in care around the world. With proper care and treatment, people with bleeding disorders can live longer, more fulfilling lives than ever before, but tragically, 75% of people with bleeding disorders do not receive adequate treatment. The podcast highlights the concerted effort by the research, medical, advocacy and patient communities that’s needed to ensure broad-based access to care and treatment.

World Day of Immunology: The annual World Day of Immunology (WDI) was established through the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS) to strengthen public awareness of immunology by creating a bridge between the medical community's growing understanding of the immune system and the need for increased public and patient access to information as a basis for individual health and well-being.

World PI Week: A collaborative observation during the week leading up to World Day of Immunology and organized by leading immune deficiency societies from every region of the world, was established in 2011 with support from Baxter. During World PI Week, organizers across the globe joined forces to encourage improved awareness and diagnosis among medical professionals and the general public. Events coordinated in participating countries included government awareness events, Jeffrey Modell center openings, and more. All pointed to the same important message: detecting the disease early can save lives.

Primary Immunodeficiencies (PI) are hereditary genetic defects in the immune system that cause increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections, affecting multiple parts of the body. These infections are often chronic, persistent, recurring, debilitating, and in some cases, fatal. It is estimated that 10 million people suffer from PI worldwide, but experts estimate that between 70–90% of PI cases remain undiagnosed. Unlike many other immune-related conditions, effective treatments are available that can manage the disease symptoms.

See Priority Update: Education for more detail.