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Apellis Announces Results from New Global Survey Conducted by The Harris Poll Revealing the Emotional Burden and Impact on Independence Caused by Geographic Atrophy (GA)
Nearly seven in ten GA patients believe the impact on their independence and quality of life due to their visual decline is worse than they expected Majority
About this update from Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Nearly seven in ten GA patients believe the impact on their independence and quality of life due to their visual decline is worse than they expected Majority of patients feel the disease negatively affects aspects of everyday life like the ability to read, drive, and travelThree out of four patients attributed their vision loss to a natural part of aging prior to their GA diagnosis, reinforcing the opportunity for broad disease education WALTHAM, Mass., April 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: APLS), a global biopharmaceutical company and leader in complement, today announced results from a global survey conducted by The Harris Poll, which found that living with geographic atrophy (GA) can cause a substantial emotional burden and impact on independence. GA is a leading cause of blindness that affects more than 5 million people worldwide, including one million people in the United States.1,2 The Geographic Atrophy Insights Survey (GAINS) was conducted among 203 adults with GA across nine countries. The survey reveals that nearly seven in ten GA patients (68%) believe the impact on their independence and quality of life due to their visual decline is worse than they expected. More than two in three patients (70%) rely on a caregiver for support, and a majority feel the disease negatively affects aspects of everyday life like the ability to read (96%), drive (95%), and travel (88%). Additionally, people living with GA are experiencing emotional hardships, feeling anxious (46%), powerless (39%), and frustrated (33%). Approximately one in three (35%) have recently withdrawn from their social lives because of their disease. “For people living with GA, the steep emotional burden and the devastating impact on independence caused by vision loss are far too often overlooked due to the absence of treatment,” said Nancy Holekamp, MD, director of retina services at the Pepose Vision Institute, St. Louis, Missouri. “This survey provides important insights that will hopefully encourage early and ongoing discussions between patients and their ophthalmologist about managing both the physical and emotional outcomes of this disease.” People living with GA also have misconceptions related to their disease with three out of four (76%) attributing their loss of vision to a natural part of aging prior to their GA diagn...