Three Real Women Offer Insight Into Their Hysterectomy Surgeries in New Documentary

Three Real Women Offer Insight Into Their Hysterectomy Surgeries in New Documentary

Produced by Novogyne Pharmaceuticals, the Educational Tool Helps Patients and Their Loved Ones to Better Understand This Life-Changing Procedure

MIAMI, July 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, approximately 600,000 women in the U.S. have hysterectomies - and each one of these women has questions, as do their husbands, boyfriends, children and friends. Their concerns may be about recovery - "When will I be able to exercise following the surgery?" "Will I have hot flashes?" - or about the procedure itself - "What exactly does the surgery entail?" "How long will it last, and how will I feel afterward?"

To help answer some questions surrounding this major yet common surgical procedure, Novogyne Pharmaceuticals has created a new documentary-style video, entitled Hysterectomy: One Woman's Journey. The 27-minute presentation introduces viewers to Cindie, Hilda and Maria - each of whom speaks candidly about her hysterectomy in unscripted, plain language.

Patients can obtain the video only through their doctors' offices. Healthcare professionals can order free copies of the video by visiting http://www.hysterectomyjourney.com/.

Women scheduled to undergo hysterectomies consistently seek additional information on the procedure from sources other than their doctor. The video was produced by Novogyne Pharmaceuticals to address common concerns, such as a hysterectomy's impact on the patient's lifestyle, surgery recovery, and therapy options for managing the possible physical effects of surgical menopause, like hot flashes.

Additionally, the take-home video allows concerned family members and friends to learn about the surgery through one woman's experience.

"I believe information and instruction provided to patients before an operation have been shown to help patients deal more effective with surgery," said Javier Vizoso, M.D., immediate past chairman of the Obstetrics-Gynecology Department at Baptist and South Miami Hospitals in Miami, FL. Dr. Vizoso performed the surgery on all the women featured in the video.

"In my experience, if people are provided with the correct information, it tends to decrease complications, shorten the length of hospitalization and promote psychological well-being," he said.

By watching the video, viewers witness a hysterectomy through the eyes of Cindie and her family. Cindie's experience begins before her hysterectomy with her family discussions, a brief description of her gynecological issues, and meetings with Dr. Vizoso. Acknowledging the important role a woman's support system has in the surgery, the video also features Cindie's daughter and husband, giving their perspectives about the procedure.

The video follows Cindie into the operating room, providing an animated 3-D illustration and step-by-step verbal explanation by Dr. Vizoso of the surgery. She is followed out of surgery and talks about her experience over the next few days.

"A key objective of Hysterectomy: One Woman's Journey was to bring to light issues we've heard over and over again from women going through hysterectomies," said Jorge Lorenzo, Director of Women's Health Marketing for Novogyne Pharmaceuticals. "We took their concerns and structured a learning tool that will, hopefully, alleviate some of the anxiety they may have while encouraging productive dialogues with their doctors."

According to the National Women's Health Information Center, about one third of women in the U.S. will have had a hysterectomy by the time they are 60 years old. As that significant population of women prepares for their surgeries, Cindie, Maria and Hilda hope their stories will help address apprehensions.

"After doing my own research in preparation for my hysterectomy and finding a host of conflicting information, I was excited at the opportunity to help educate thousands of women considering surgery by sharing my experiences," said Cindie. "To me, knowledge is power. The goal of this documentary is to fill the information gap I encountered and help empower women and their families with the information they need to help them make educated decisions about the procedure."

Novogyne Pharmaceuticals is a joint venture between Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation of East Hanover, New Jersey, and Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. of Miami, Florida.

Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:NOVN), headquartered in Miami, Florida, is a leading developer of advanced transdermal drug delivery technologies and prescription transdermal products. Noven's prescription patches are sold in over 30 countries, and a range of new patches are being developed in collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG, Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, P&G Pharmaceuticals, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. and others. Noven is committed to expanding the universe of available transdermal therapies for the benefit of patients, partners and shareholders. See http://www.noven.com/ for additional information.

Located in East Hanover, New Jersey, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS), a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. In 2004, the Group's businesses achieved sales of USD 28.2 billion and pro forma net income of USD 5.6 billion. The Group invested approximately USD 4.2 billion in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 81,400 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com/.

Source: Novogyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CONTACT: Stephanie Lamenta, GolinHarris International, +1-305-572-2151, slamenta@golinharris.com

Web site: http://www.hysterectomyjourney.com/ http://www.novartis.com/ http://www.noven.com/

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