Lundbeck and Otsuka join growing list of pharma and medtech companies stepping up for mental health

Human Resources: Showing their support for World Mental Health Day, employees of Lundbeck Australia and Otsuka Australia Pharmaceutical have taken part in a national virtual walk to highlight inequality in the treatment of mental illness.

The annual Wellness Walk, organised by One Door Mental Health, brings attention to mental health issues and raises funds to provide recovery-focused services to people living with severe and enduring mental illness.

112 employees and family members from the two companies put on their walking shoes to participate in the event on Sunday 10 October – World Mental Health Day.

Lundbeck Australia Managing Director, Fredrik Kjaer, said “We so pleased to be out in our local communities again supporting this event, now in its ninth year. The theme of World Mental Health Day 2021 is “Mental Health in an Unequal World’ and it’s important to focus on this because we know that the COVID pandemic has increased disadvantage for people seeking help for mental illness. Access to psychiatrists and hospital beds has been impacted and there are warnings of lasting consequences flowing from lockdowns and restrictions. We will continue to campaign for parity of care between physical diseases and mental health disorders, especially considering the high socio-economic burden of mental illness.”

Otsuka Australia Pharmaceutical Managing Director, Soonhee Park, said “Our participation in the Wellness Walk highlights our commitment to the mental health community in a positive way. Each step we take signifies our support for One Door Mental Health’s aim to create a world in which people with mental illness are valued and treated as equals.”

Last week, Roche Pharmaceuticals and Edwards Lifesciences shared with Health Industry Hub the importance of championing mental health and wellbeing in their respective organisations. Organon also reported a powerful yet familiar story of how the company’s investment in mental health and wellbeing with the Gift of Time is impacting the lives of their employees.

Lundbeck and Otsuka are part of a global alliance in the CNS therapy area and co-commercialise treatments for mental illness.