A. Menarini, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group − an Italian pharmaceutical company with over 135 years of history − is embarking on a campaign with CARiNG Pharmacy Malaysia and ACT4Health Sdn Bhd, a social enterprise spin-off of the University of Malaya, to launch the “Catch Mild Cognitive Impairment Early: Act Now, Remember More” campaign. This initiative aims to drive awareness and early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Cognitive health relates to the well-being of our brain, while mental health focuses on our emotional and psychological state. A healthy brain can learn, recall, and make decisions that enable us to perform daily activities. However, when cognition begins to decline, it can significantly affect an individual’s overall health and well-being, known as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). People with MCI may struggle with forming words, often lose items, or forget important events. Unlike dementia and other severe cognitive conditions, individuals with MCI generally maintain their self-care abilities and continue with their daily activities. In contrast, dementia patients often have difficulty with self-care and may experience severe symptoms such as hallucinations and paranoia. MCI is seen as a stage where the condition can be somewhat managed or slowed by adopting healthy habits and diets.
According to Malaysian research published in 2023, patients with chronic diseases have an elevated risk of developing MCI. The study, involving 207 participants, found that only 8% of the patients had discussed the risk of cognitive impairment with their physicians, while 8.2% needed clarification. Most participants (93.2%) had not initiated or shared concerns regarding dementia with their physicians, and 2.4% were unsure if they had ever discussed the topic. There is a low level of awareness about basic dementia knowledge among the elderly, especially those at risk of developing MCI and its associated factors.
“Launching this campaign is extremely important and meaningful for us at A. Menarini, as we have like-minded partners such as CARiNG Pharmacy and ACT4Health to address this pressing cognitive issue identified through research and community feedback. There are risk factors that contribute to the development of MCI. Factors beyond our control, such as age and family medical history, are fixed and unavoidable, but modifiable measures can be adjusted or avoided to reduce MCI risk. Making positive changes to modifiable risk factors may decrease susceptibility. While we can make changes in our daily activities to live a healthy lifestyle, it is also crucial to have proper screening with the right healthcare professionals to spot any early symptoms and receive appropriate medical support,” said Josie Ong, Commercial Director of A. Menarini Singapore Pte Ltd (Malaysia branch).
Reaching Out to More Malaysians for Early Detection to Slow Down the Development of MCI
A. Menarini, CARiNG Pharmacy, and ACT4Health have joined forces to offer the Visual Cognitive Assessment Test (VCAT) at selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets in Malaysia. The test aims to raise awareness of MCI among Malaysians and help people evaluate their risk of MCI, enabling early diagnosis and intervention if necessary.
VCAT involves a series of visual and cognitive tasks to measure aspects of cognitive function, such as memory and attention. The tasks include pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, memory recall, and decision-making. Once the test is completed, the results will be analysed to provide a status of the individual’s cognitive health and determine whether healthcare professional involvement is necessary.
Commenting on the campaign, Bu Min Yee, Senior Training Executive/Pharmacist at CARiNG Pharmacy, said, “This exclusive partnership with A. Menarini is a way to advance our commitment to increasing awareness of MCI and promoting early detection. At CARiNG Pharmacy, we are community-driven and dedicated to driving early detection and empowering our consumers to take the next steps. We want to ensure that if the VCAT shows early signs of MCI, they are directed to healthcare providers like ACT4Health for more specific diagnoses. The main goal of this tri-partnership is to enable the community and educate them about MCI and prevention strategies. We hope more Malaysians will take this opportunity to take the VCAT test for free at our selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets. We invite them and their families to visit these selected outlets for this 15-minute cognitive test.”
Empowering Ourselves with Health Literacy for Early Detection
While there is no curative treatment for severe cognitive impairment, establishing a comprehensive management strategy is crucial to preparing patients and their caregivers for the challenges ahead, with a primary focus on improving quality of life.
“Statistics from the AGELESS research project show that up to one in five individuals aged 60 years and over experience memory loss, whereas four out of ten are socially vulnerable. For many, memory deficits can be transient, while for others, this can be an early sign of dementia. Statistics published by the Institute of Public Health in their ‘National Health and Morbidity Survey — The Elderly’ five years ago found that one in twelve Malaysians aged 60 years and over have dementia. The AGELESS project has enhanced our ability to recognise cognitive frailty early by defining groups more likely to develop cognitive frailty but, more importantly, groups that can recover,” Professor Dr Tan Maw Pin, Geriatric Medicine Consultant, Founder and Managing Director of ACT4Health Sdn Bhd, shared.
Professor Dr Tan added, “Everyone needs to understand that their health is also their responsibility. As caregivers to older family members, we must also remember to empower them to seek help early. This means that besides regular eye and dental check-ups or blood tests, cognitive health can benefit from regular medical check-ups, especially if we notice early signs or have relatives with MCI. As we all know, early detection can help us plan for long-term care and take health actions before the condition worsens, such as changing our diet and increasing exercise. Caregivers should also be prepared for patients’ behavioural changes to provide the most suitable care.”
Through the “Catch Mild Cognitive Impairment Early: Act Now, Remember More” campaign, A. Menarini, CARiNG Pharmacy, and ACT4Health hope to emphasise the importance of understanding and addressing MCI. The VCAT is now available free of charge at selected CARiNG Pharmacy outlets. For more details on test availability and locations, please visit the CARiNG Pharmacy official Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/caring2u?mibextid=ZbWKwL].
