7-Jul-2016 - DUBLIN /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan plc is pleased to announce that it is leading the effort to alleviate discomfort of dry eye symptoms for America's heroes and has exceeded its goal of donating $1 million worth of REFRESH® eye drops to our nation's first responders.
Last summer, Allergan kicked off the REFRESH AMERICA campaign aiming to help everyday heroes alleviate their discomfort from dry eye symptoms brought on by exposure to elements like heat, wind, smoke and dust which are inherent to their work. Every purchase of specially-marked packages in the REFRESH OPTIVE® product line since August 2015 has led to over eighty thousand donations of REFRESH® eye drops to first responder groups nationwide.
"We are thrilled to be donating $1 million worth of product to America's first responders, greatly surpassing our original goal of $250,000.," said Brent Saunders, CEO and President, Allergan. "I would like to thank all of those who purchased REFRESH OPTIVE® this past year and made this donation possible. I believe that this campaign is indicative of Allergan's continued commitment to leadership within the eye wellness community."
Allergan partnered with the U.S. First Responders Association for this initiative, who helped designate where REFRESH® eye drop donations were most needed.
"We are overjoyed with the support we have received from Allergan for the REFRESH AMERICA campaign," said Traycee Biancamano, CEO, U.S. First Responders Association. "I know first-hand how taxing it is for your eyes to be in an environment that is severely dry, dusty and windy on a daily basis."
While Allergan's goal was to reach $1 million in REFRESH® products, there is no limit to the amount the company will donate during this campaign. Due to the positive receptivity of first responders and the communities in which they serve, Allergan has recently announced that it will extend the REFRESH AMERICA program through the end of 2017 and will continue to help those who put their lives on the line every day.
"First responders continually come to my practice describing common symptoms of dry eye as a result of their working conditions. I recommend REFRESH OPTIVE® Advanced products since they are clinically proven to lubricate for dry eye symptom relief, hydrate the eye surface cells and help protect natural tears from evaporating" said Marguerite McDonald, MD, FACS, board-certified ophthalmologist, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island.
Learn more at helpREFRESHAmerica.com.
About Allergan
Allergan plc (AGN), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is a unique, global pharmaceutical company and a leader in a new industry model – Growth Pharma. Allergan is focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing innovative branded pharmaceuticals, high-quality generic and over-the-counter medicines and biologic products for patients around the world.
Allergan markets a portfolio of best-in-class products that provide valuable treatments for the central nervous system, eye care, medical aesthetics, gastroenterology, women's health, urology, cardiovascular and anti-infective therapeutic categories, and operates the world's third-largest global generics business, providing patients around the globe with increased access to affordable, high-quality medicines. Allergan is an industry leader in research and development, with one of the broadest development pipelines in the pharmaceutical industry and a leading position in the submission of generic product applications globally.
With commercial operations in approximately 100 countries, Allergan is committed to working with physicians, healthcare providers and patients to deliver innovative and meaningful treatments that help people around the world live longer, healthier lives.
For more information, visit Allergan's website at www.allergan.com.
About the U.S. First Responders Association
U.S. First Responders Association is a non-profit, professional and social network of firefighters, EMS, rescue, police officers, military and civilian support teams. The purpose of the United States First Responders Association shall be to advance the profession of fire, emergency, police and military services through proactive community leadership, education, advocacy, policy, procedure, and guidelines that would best help our emergency services provide aid to the citizens of the United States and worldwide.