Celebrity Designer Ty Pennington to Host 10th Annual 'ADHD Experts on Call' Program

Celebrity Designer Ty Pennington to Host 10th Annual 'ADHD Experts on Call'
Program
ADHD Experts to Answer Questions about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD)

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The 10th annual 'ADHD Experts on Call'
program will take place on Wednesday, September 17, 2008, from 8 a.m. to
midnight EDT to provide families and caregivers of patients with Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as adults with ADHD, with the
opportunity to ask questions and learn more about ADHD from experts in the
field. Celebrity designer Ty Pennington, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a
teenager, is partnering with Shire, the ADHD Support Company, to host the
event and talk about his experience living with the disorder.
During the program, which takes place amidst ADHD Awareness Week, experts
will answer questions via the toll-free telephone hotline, 1-888-ASK-ADHD, and
through live online chats at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com. The confidential
one-on-one hotline and online chats will provide access to English and
Spanish-speaking experts, including physicians, nurses, educators and patient
advocates who can help educate the public about ADHD.
"I am psyched to host this year's 'ADHD Experts on Call' event," said Ty
Pennington, host of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition(TM). "As an adult
with ADHD, I know how important it is to be able to focus and get work done
each day. After I was diagnosed and started treatment for my ADHD symptoms, I
was able to hold steady jobs in the construction and graphic design
businesses, which ultimately led to me hosting ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition."
Over the last nine years, the 'ADHD Experts on Call' program has fielded
tens of thousands of inquiries, helping people affected by ADHD better
understand the disorder. This program also serves as a resource for those
affected by ADHD, providing access to an expert to discuss tips and strategies
for managing their ADHD and staying organized during today's increasingly busy
day. It is also an opportunity for people to learn which symptoms are
commonly associated with ADHD. Participants are also encouraged to speak with
their physician if they believe ADHD is affecting their daily life.
While the experts participating in 'ADHD Experts on Call' cannot provide
specific medical advice or recommend a particular course of action, they can
provide helpful information about:
-- How to recognize ADHD symptoms in children and adults;
-- The potential for ADHD to run in families and why adults sometimes
recognize their personal symptoms of ADHD only after their child is diagnosed;
-- The impact of ADHD at work, at school, at home and in relationships
with family and friends;
-- Tips for how to achieve daily successes in school, at work and during
your busy day;
-- Ideas to help adults with ADHD to better focus at work or at home,
remember meetings or appointments and be able to manage and finish projects;
-- How parents can approach teachers about their child's ADHD-related
educational needs;
-- Common myths and misconceptions about ADHD.
"'ADHD Experts on Call' is a terrific resource for people to learn about
ADHD and how the disorder impacts people of all ages," said David Goodman,
M.D., director of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Center of Maryland and
assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins
University School of Medicine. "Many people think ADHD is something you
outgrow, however, up to 65 percent of children with ADHD may still exhibit the
core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity into adulthood,
although they may present differently in these two age groups. For example,
while children with ADHD may seem easily distracted or have difficulty sitting
still, adults may have ADHD symptoms that appear as having difficulty
finishing tasks or seeming impatient. 'ADHD Experts on Call' aims to increase
awareness of this impairing disorder and provide educational support to help
people with ADHD succeed both at work or school and at home."
About ADHD
ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and
adolescents. Approximately 7.8 percent of all school-aged children, or about
4.4 million U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years, have been diagnosed with ADHD at
some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC). The disorder is also estimated to affect 4.4 percent of
U.S. adults aged 18-44 based on results from the National Comorbidity Survey
Replication, a nationally representative household survey, which used a
lay-administered diagnostic interview to access a wide range of DSM-IV
disorders. When this percentage is extrapolated to the full U.S. population,
approximately 9.8 million adults are believed to have ADHD. ADHD is a
neurobiological disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of inattention
and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is
typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. To be
properly diagnosed with ADHD, a child needs to demonstrate at least six of
nine symptoms of inattention; and/or at least six of nine symptoms of
hyperactivity/impulsivity; the onset of which appears before age 7 years; that
some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at
school and home); that the symptoms continue for at least six months; and that
there is clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or
occupational functioning and the symptoms cannot be better explained by
another psychiatric disorder.
Although there is no "cure" for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that
specifically target its symptoms. The most common standard treatments include
educational approaches, psychological, or behavioral modification, and
medication.
About VYVANSE(R)
Vyvanse is indicated for the treatment of ADHD. Efficacy based on two
controlled trials in children aged 6 to 12 and one controlled trial in adults.
Tell the doctor about any heart conditions, including structural
abnormalities, that you, your child, or a family member, may have. Inform the
doctor immediately if you or your child develops symptoms that suggest heart
problems, such as chest pain or fainting.
Vyvanse should not be taken if you or your child has advanced disease of
the blood vessels (arteriosclerosis); symptomatic heart disease; moderate to
severe high blood pressure; overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); known
allergy or unusual reactions to drugs called sympathomimetic amines (for
example, pseudoephedrine); seizures; glaucoma; a history of problems with
alcohol or drugs; agitated states; taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
within the last 14 days.
Tell the doctor before taking Vyvanse if you or your child is being
treated for or has symptoms of depression (sadness, worthlessness, or
hopelessness) or bipolar disorder; has abnormal thought or visions, hears
abnormal sounds, or has been diagnosed with psychosis; has had seizures or
abnormal EEGs; has or has had high blood pressure; exhibits aggressive
behavior or hostility. Tell the doctor immediately if you or your child
develops any of these conditions or symptoms while taking Vyvanse.
Abuse of amphetamines may lead to dependence. Misuse of amphetamine may
cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events. These events
have also been reported rarely with amphetamine use.
Vyvanse was generally well tolerated in clinical studies. The most common
side effects reported in studies of Vyvanse were: children -- decreased
appetite, difficulty falling asleep, stomachache, and irritability; adult --
decreased appetite, difficulty falling asleep, and dry mouth.
Aggression, new abnormal thoughts/behaviors, mania, growth suppression,
worsening of motion or verbal tics, and Tourette's syndrome have been
associated with use of drugs of this type. Tell the doctor if you or your
child has blurred vision while taking Vyvanse.
SHIRE LIMITED
Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty
biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist
physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit and hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT) and gastrointestinal (GI)
diseases as well as opportunities in other therapeutic areas to the extent
they arise through acquisitions. Shire's in-licensing, merger and acquisition
efforts are focused on products in specialist markets with strong intellectual
property protection and global rights. Shire believes that a carefully
selected and balanced portfolio of products with strategically aligned and
relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results.
For further information on Shire, please visit the Company's website:
www.shire.com.
"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT
OF 1995
Statements included herein that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number
of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event
such risks or uncertainties materialize, the Company's results could be
materially affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical
research, product development, manufacturing and commercialization including,
but not limited to, the establishment in the market of VYVANSE(R)
(lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
("ADHD")); the impact of competitive products, including, but not limited to,
the impact of those on the Company's ADHD franchise; patents, including but
not limited to, legal challenges relating to the Company's ADHD franchise;
government regulation and approval, including but not limited to the expected
product approval date of INTUNIV(TM) (guanfacine extended release) (ADHD); the
Company's ability to secure new products for commercialization and/or
development; the Company's proposed offer for Jerini AG, including but not
limited to, the Company's ability to successfully complete the offer and
integrate Jerini AG, as well as realize the anticipated benefits of the
acquisition; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
SOURCE Shire Limited

Alana Brier, +1-212-601-8432, alana.brier@porternovelli.com, or Lauren Plate,
+1-212-601-8188, lauren.plate@porternovelli.com, both of Porter Novelli for
Shire