Save Legs. Change Lives.? Paves the Way for Change

I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride to be a part of a team that is spearheading positive change in the cardiovascular and metabolism (CVM) space, particularly when it comes to combatting health disparities in cardiovascular disease.?

One of our areas of focus at Janssen is a condition called peripheral artery disease, or PAD, a common circulatory condition that causes blood vessels to narrow, reducing blood flow to the limbs, most commonly the legs. While it often goes undiagnosed and undertreated, PAD can lead to heart attack, stroke, and even amputation.

Tragically, the Black population is disproportionately impacted by PAD. In fact, Black Americans are more than twice as likely to be affected compared to white Americans and are up to four times more likely than white Americans to have a PAD-related amputation.

To address these health disparities, earlier this year, Janssen launched the Save Legs. Change Lives.? initiative to break down barriers to equitable and inclusive care through 1) research, 2) powerful partnerships and 3) efforts that aim to empower individuals and communities through PAD awareness and education.??

Over the past year, Janssen has introduced 12 programs across these three focus areas, and we’re just getting started! We’ve created partnerships with the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Association of Black Cardiologists, to name a few. We’re also using a PAD HEATMap, which charts PAD-related amputations across the country, to alert healthcare providers and health systems to PAD-related amputation and health inequities in their communities, bringing these statistics top of mind and reiterating the unmet need for educational and screening resources.

We’re also breaking down barriers to early screening in communities that are disproportionately impacted by PAD. So far in 2022, Janssen’s empower?-PAD mobile unit has visited 50 towns in 15 States and Puerto Rico, providing free, non-invasive PAD screening for more than 3,200 people. One recent visit was to the South Side of Chicago where the team partnered with The Balm In Gilead to bring the full power of?Save Legs. Change Lives.??to an area where PAD-related amputations disproportionately impact the Black community. At the screening, more than 460 ankle brachial index (ABI) screenings were conducted – 92 percent of those screened were Black Americans. The screenings found 35 percent of those individuals may be at risk of PAD, more than double the national average of 14 percent.? ?

The turnout and results we are seeing reinforce the need for more resources and early prevention efforts in at-risk communities, and we’re looking forward to sharing the momentum we’ve had with healthcare professionals who are coming to the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions today & through this weekend! Among other Janssen-sponsored data and initiatives that will be showcased at #AHA22, we are excited to share more about the Save Legs. Change Lives.? vision, our impact to-date, and where we plan to go moving forward. I couldn’t be prouder that Janssen CVM, and Johnson & Johnson more broadly, are on the frontlines of the fight against systemic health challenges like decreasing PAD-related amputation, and we are proud to be part of a larger community that has a collective resolve to create a future where health inequities are a thing of the past.

I can’t wait to see how this initiative continues to effect change for those at risk for PAD!?If you’re at AHA this weekend, be sure to stop by the empower?-PAD booth (#2416) to learn more about health inequities in PAD and receive a free screening.

You can learn more about Save Legs. Change Lives.? at SaveLegsChangeLives.com, and read about our efforts so far this year in our recent impact update.

#AHA22 #PeripheralArteryDisease #SaveLegsChangeLives #empowerPAD #ORTHE #MyCompany??