GIVING BACK IS GOOD MEDICINE FOR THIS PREMED STUDENT

Eric, a premed student who has always cared for the community.

Eric is a premed student in Dayton, Ohio. Getting there required hard work, determination, and a truly unique perspective. Eric has hemophilia A, something that was perhaps the most motivating factor in his decision to study medicine.

Medical Field of Dreams

"When I was growing up, I spent time around doctors and nurses and saw their impact on people like me," says Eric. "They made me realize that becoming a doctor is a great way to serve others through medicine." When Eric graduated from high school, he spent a few months in a clinic in Ghana. "I saw the difference you can make in people's lives," says Eric. "From that point on, I knew the medical field was where I should be."

Supported by Scholarship

"When I entered my freshman year of college, my social worker made it clear there were many scholarships out there for people with hemophilia," says Eric. That included the scholarship he eventually received from Pfizer. "I wrote essays, did serious community service work, and of course, had the good grades to back it up."

Eric already had his sights set on pursuing a medical school education, but says, "…being a scholarship recipient and having the financial support definitely helped me…it was one less stress to think about."

Eric offers this scholarly advice to anyone pursuing a scholarship: "Work hard and apply for as many as you can—you're not guaranteed a scholarship just because you have hemophilia."

What would Eric say to help and encourage other young people with hemophilia? As Eric puts it, "No matter what your physical situation, no matter what you've experienced, you can always use it to uplift and inspire others."

To learn more about scholarship opportunities from Pfizer, visit www.HemophiliaVillage.com/Scholarship.

What Is XYNTHA?

Xyntha® Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant), Plasma/Albumin-Free is indicated for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia) and for surgical prophylaxis in patients with hemophilia A.

XYNTHA does not contain von Willebrand factor and, therefore, is not indicated in von Willebrand's disease.

Important Safety Information for XYNTHA

• Allergic reactions are possible with XYNTHA. Signs of an allergic reaction may include hives, rash with itching, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, faintness, or fast heartbeat. XYNTHA contains trace amounts of hamster protein. You may develop an allergic reaction to these proteins. Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to hamster protein.
• Call your doctor right away if bleeding is not controlled after using your factor VIII replacement therapy; this may be a sign of an inhibitor. Inhibitors have been observed in patients receiving factor VIII products, including XYNTHA.
• The most common adverse reaction in study 1 (safety and efficacy study) is headache (24% of subjects) and in study 2 (surgery study) is fever (41% of subjects). Other common side effects of XYNTHA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or weakness.
• XYNTHA is an injectable medicine administered by intravenous (IV) infusion. Local irritation may occur when infusing XYNTHA after reconstitution in XYNTHA Solofuse.

Please see full Prescribing Information for XYNTHA.

What Is BeneFIX?

BeneFIX® Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant) is an injectable medicine that is used to help control and prevent bleeding in people with hemophilia B. Hemophilia B is also called congenital factor IX deficiency or Christmas disease.

BeneFIX is NOT used to treat hemophilia A.

Important Safety Information for BeneFIX

• BeneFIX is contraindicated in patients who have manifested life-threatening, immediate hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to the product or its components, including hamster protein.
• Call your health care provider right away if your bleeding is not controlled after using BeneFIX.
• Allergic reactions may occur with BeneFIX. Call your health care provider or get emergency treatment right away if you have any of the following symptoms: wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, your lips and gums turning blue, fast heartbeat, facial swelling, faintness, rash or hives.
• Your body can make antibodies, called “inhibitors,” which may interfere with the effectiveness of BeneFIX.
• If you have risk factors for developing blood clots, such as a venous catheter through which BeneFIX is given by continuous infusion, BeneFIX may increase the risk of abnormal blood clots. The safety and efficacy of BeneFIX administration by continuous infusion have not been established.
• Some common side effects of BeneFIX are nausea, injection site reaction, injection site pain, headache, dizziness and rash.

Please see full Prescribing Information for BeneFIX.