Neuroscience
Janssen’s entire history is closely tied to neuroscience.
In fact, the very first medication developed by our company founder, Dr Paul Janssen, was for the treatment of schizophrenia. Since those early days, Janssen has developed an impressive portfolio of treatments for neuropsychiatric conditions and pain.
However, science is only part of the story. Janssen’s commitment to transforming lives extends beyond the medicine. We collaborate with healthcare professionals, researchers, community organisations and carers to improve outcomes for people living with serious mental illness.
We support a number of initiatives covering education, research & development, patient support and community based programs.
These include:
Advancing treatments and diagnostic tools
- Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific Innovation Centre: We opened the doors to our Asia Pacific Innovation Centre a few years ago. It will be a hub for research collaborations, nurturing ideas through their early stages of development.One of our first projects is a partnership with the University of Queensland that will use spider venom to identify peptides as potential pain treatments.
- Point of care diagnostic test: We’re developing a diagnostic tool that will give healthcare professionals more information: Our aim is that a simple fingerstick blood sample will be able to provide quantitative measurements of four commonly prescribed antipsychotic medications. Access to more information means more informed decisions, offering better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals alike.
Partnering with the community for better health outcomes
- Partnerships with the mental health community: We understand that we’re not alone in our efforts to change the lives of people with serious mental illness. Real progress requires a co-ordinated, community wide response. For Janssen Neuroscience that means working in partnership with New Zealand’s mental health community. In particular, we support disease awareness programs, professional education and a range of advocacy organisations. We also support direct, community-based programs to aid recovery for people with serious mental illness.
- We have co-ordinated mental health community forums on a range of topics to help improve outcomes for patients. These include conversations around the impact of mental health reform on service delivery. Conducting forums like these help us to better understand the unmet needs in the community and guides us in our response.
Providing high quality medical education
We believe education is essential to improving patient outcomes. Our high quality medical education programs provide ongoing support for the healthcare community. When local and international experts are brought together together, both sides benefit and develop better approaches to help those living with mental health issues. Whether it’s conferences and symposiums, skills training for GPs or support for mental health nurses, Janssen Neuroscience will be there.
Assisting patients and carers
We provide a range of patient materials around managing treatment and improving quality of life and acknowledge that mental health conditions affect more than the patients themselves.