OREANDA-NEWS. Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPG) today launches the third annual Excellence in ADHD Patient Group Awards celebrating outstanding work by patient advocacy organisations around the world that aim to improve the lives of people with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Three winning patient groups will each be awarded an unrestricted grant of €10,000 to recognise their exceptional work in 2015.

“We are extremely proud of the Excellence in ADHD programme at Shire,” says Tom Croce, Head of Global Patient Advocacy at Shire. “The number of award entries has grown year on year as more patient groups in more countries are showcasing the differences they are making to patients’ lives and we expect the 2016 awards programme to be the most subscribed to date. We have already awarded €60,000 to patient advocacy groups through the programme recognising the outstanding work they do to support ADHD sufferers and I am looking forward to reading all of the entries this year."

The awards are open to patient organisations based outside of the USA with not-for-profit/charitable status that put the needs and interests of people affected by ADHD at the heart of their work.

The judges are looking for projects that address unmet needs in ADHD and have a direct and positive impact on the lives of people affected by the disorder. Winning entries will have demonstrated defined objectives, a clear strategy, measurable success markers and will use an evidence-based approach.Developed, funded and organised by Shire, the Excellence in ADHD Patient Group Awards are part of Shire’s patient-centric approach that provides support to people living with ADHD and their caregivers.

About ADHD

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents1-3 and is recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).4 Worldwide prevalence of ADHD is estimated to be between 5.29% and 7.1%, and just under 5% in Europe for children and adolescents (<18 years)1,2 and 3.4% (range 1.0-7.3%) for adults aged 18-44.5-9