Digital Pharma: Online 'keepy uppies' from Bayer

Bayer Schering Pharma is counting down to World Haemophilia Day with a football-themed online disease awareness campaign.

The centre-piece of this is its Kid K Keepy Uppies game, which is based on the football move and aims to highlight everything haemophilia sufferers can do, rather than dwell on the things they can’t.

The game, which was produced by Langland, can be played online via Bayer’s Factor Fitness website and is also available as an app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

The app costs 59p and all proceeds will be donated to The Haemophilia Society.

For those that played the game before 2 April, there was also the chance to enter a competition for a Nintendo Wii.

World record keepy uppies champion Dan Magness will present the prize at a special event at Thorpe Park to mark World Haemophilia Day.

The rare hereditary blood-clotting condition affects approximately 400,000 people around the world, nearly all of them male.

Bayer’s work with the condition also includes its Kogenate, which it markets for the treatment and prophylaxis of bleeding in patients with haemophilia A.

Haemophilia e-magazine for teenagers

Bayer is also marking World Haemophilia Day this year with the launch of an e-magazine it hopes will tackle real-world issues and provide practical advice to teenagers and young men living with the condition.

Frankly.net includes tips on how young men living with haemophilia can make more informed, confident decisions about life and throws light on a variety of hot topics, including sex and relationships, and health and fitness.

Michael Mathews, vice president and therapeutic area head of haematology at Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, said: "It is our hope that Frankly.net will become a go-to resource for young men throughout the world with hemophilia, and we are very pleased to be launching this site on World Hemophilia Day, a special day that focuses on promoting awareness of bleeding disorders.

"Bayer has always been a strong supporter of the hemophilia community, both locally and globally. Frankly.net is just the latest example of our commitment to providing innovative, yet practical solutions that help people with hemophilia successfully meet life's challenges."

The site also offers for download the information booklet Speaking Frankly About Hemophilia, which addresses sensitive themes – such as body art, drugs and alcohol - and provides tips on how to broach some of these topics with a healthcare provider.

Dominic Tyer is web editor for Pharmafocus and InPharm.com and the author of the Digital Pharma blog He can be contacted via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.