[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11741]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING EMD SERONO FOR RECEIVING A GOLD MEDAL AS A LAUREATE OF THE 
                     COMPUTER WORLD HONORS PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2008

  Mr. DELAHUNT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor EMD Serono, 
headquartered in Rockland, Massachusetts. On June 2nd they were chosen 
to be the recipient of the prestigious Gold Medal award as a Laureate 
of the Computerworld Honors Program for their EasyPod Device. This is 
in addition to earlier recognition by the Medical Design Excellence 
Awards for this breakthrough technology.
   Established in 1988, The Computerworld Honors Program brings 
together the principals of the world's foremost information technology 
companies to recognize and document the achievements of the men, women, 
organizations and institutions around the world whose visionary 
applications of information technology promote positive social, 
economic and educational change. It is the longest running global 
program to honor individuals and organizations that use information 
technology to benefit society.
   EMD Serono's EasyPod was selected based on 10 criteria including use 
of information technology, originality of its conception, the breadth 
of its vision, and the significance of its benefit to society. This 
device administers a medication called Saizen to children requiring 
growth hormone therapy and then monitors their compliance to the 
treatment schedule for physicians. It is a first of its kind device in 
this treatment area and an example of the innovation that EMD Serono 
and other biopharmaceutical companies in Massachusetts develop every 
year.
   Growth deficiency occurs when the body is unable to release or 
produce adequate amounts of the appropriate hormones. In children, 
growth deficiency causes slow growth, and without treatment, studies 
have shown that 18-20 percent of school children who have growth 
problems have academic problems, at more than 4 times the rate of 
normal statured counterparts. It is estimated that 10,000 to 15,000 
children in the United States have growth failure.
  EMD Serono has a long history in Massachusetts of providing for the 
unmet needs of patients. Through regular innovative breakthroughs, the 
company is a leader in not only growth deficiency, but also multiple 
sclerosis, HIV, and infertility. They not only offer the products for 
physicians to use, but also provide 24 hour call centers to work with 
doctors and patients supporting their course of therapy.
   They also offer robust patient assistance programs and free product 
to assist families in overcoming financial barriers to treatment.
   Congratulations to the employees of EMD Serono for this achievement 
and the work you do every day to help physicians and patients.

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