Newswise — Hackensack Meridian Health Jersey Shore University Medical Center is the first hospital in New Jersey to use Radicava to treat ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Recently approved by the FDA, Radicava slows down the decline of physical function in ALS patients by thirty three percent. It is estimated that 450,000 people suffer from ALS worldwide, a disease that has no cure.

Radicava does not restore function lost, but it can slow down the symptoms of the disease, and improve one’s quality of life. Radicava is most effective when administered shortly after diagnosis.

Mary Sedarous, M.D., a board certified neurologist and medical director of the ALS Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, says, “Although Radicava does not cure ALS or increase overall survival, it gives hope to the patients by helping preserve function.”  The ALS Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center is the only program dedicated to treating ALS in Monmouth and Ocean counties, and is one of the only hospitals in New Jersey to achieve The ALS Association’s Recognized Treatment Center designation.

Radicava is administered via intravenous infusion as an outpatient at the new HOPE Tower at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Under the medical direction of Dr. Sedarous, the drug is also available at two additional locations within the Hackensack Meridian Health network - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, and at Hackensack Meridian Health Village at Jackson. The initial treatment cycle consists of a daily infusion for two weeks, followed by two weeks rest. Each infusion treatment takes about an hour to complete. Subsequent treatment cycles include a daily dosing for 10 days out of a 14 day period, followed by 14-day drug free periods.

“The ability to offer Radicava as a revolutionary treatment option for ALS patients demonstrates our commitment to pushing barriers and bringing the most advanced resources to our community members,” says Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, president of Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital. “Our team of experts is helping patients and their families manage symptoms and have the best quality of life possible.”

Since each case of ALS is different, a patient must consult their health care provider to determine the best course of treatment and how long they can be on the drug. To learn more about how the ALS team at Jersey Shore University Medical Center is helping people live with ALS, call the medical center’s ALS nurse navigator at 732-776-3307 or visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.

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ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; 11 community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 160 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care and after-hours centers. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center which is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.