On May 21-25, Medical City will host the newly-launched interactive medical educational exhibit, “LIVE outside the bottle: The Story of Alcoholism in America.” Dallas the third stop on the exhibit’s 14-city national tour. The cutting-edge walk-thru exhibit allows visitors to make an emotional connection while learning about the history, consequences and treatment options for the disease of alcoholism as well as to be inspired by ‘faces of recovery.’

The exhibit will be open to the public in the Building A Atrium of Medical City, 7777 Forest Lane in Dallas. More information is available on the hospital’s Web site, www.MedicalCityHospital.com.

“We are thrilled to host this innovative exhibit aimed at educating our community about alcoholism and recovery,” said Theresa Eichenwald, M.D., an internist at Medical City. “Touring ‘LIVE outside the bottle’ is a worthwhile experience for both adults and children. We think it will be particularly impactful for high schools students, and we hope that area parents will bring their pre-teen and teenage children to learn more about this disease.”

Although current research clearly recognizes alcohol dependence as a chronic and treatable disease, myths, misinformation and social stigma still prevent most people from seeking the help they need to treat this medical problem. Less than 15 percent of America’s 18 million people who struggle with alcohol problems will seek treatment.¹ The reason is simple: the majority of Americans, 63 percent, still mistakenly believe that alcoholism is a failure of will or weakness of spirit rather than a treatable medical disease.²

The scientific understanding, perception and treatment of alcoholism have evolved over the past several decades, and the societal implications of this evolution are profound. “LIVE outside the bottle” is an unprecedented, national campaign designed to bring this evolution to light and help the public understand how far society has come – and how far it has to go – in addressing one of society’s most pervasive and deadly diseases.

The centerpiece of “LIVE outside the bottle” is an interactive, multi-media exhibit that explores alcoholism on several levels, including the misconceptions about alcoholism; the environmental and genetic causes of the disease; and the latest treatment options.

“What we know now is that alcoholism is not a moral weakness but a chronic disease, and that like all chronic diseases, it can and should be treated,” said Harold C. Urschel III, M.D., MMA, Medical Director of Chemical Dependency Recovery Services, Clinical Research Programs, at The Cedars Hospital and Hickory Trail Hospital. “We also know that counseling along with effective medications and regular interaction with a healthcare professional, will most likely result in the best outcomes and a successful recovery.”

The exhibit can be a valuable learning experience for an extensive audience including people with alcoholism and their loved ones, college students, physicians, counselors, dignitaries, corporate executives, clergy – basically, anyone interested in learning more about this serious and often deadly disease. Those who visit will

• Learn about alcoholism: its prevalence, history, consequences and available treatment options
• Utilize an alcohol screening tool to uncover potential alcohol problems that you or a loved one may have
• Secure information about local treatment and recovery resources and organizations

About “LIVE outside the bottle
“LIVE outside the bottle” sponsored by Cephalon, Inc., and Alkermes, Inc., is a national educational campaign created to tackle alcoholism, one of society’s most misunderstood, and deadly diseases. The educational exhibit will tour 14 cities in 2007. Through the campaign website, www.liveoutsidethebottle.com, the public can obtain important information about alcoholism, learn more about the touring educational exhibit and experience it online, and more.

About Cephalon, Inc. and Alkermes, Inc.
Cephalon, Inc., an international biopharmaceutical company, and Alkermes, Inc., a biotechnology company, aim to help raise awareness about alcoholism as a serious, chronic disease, and its treatment with both medication and counseling through educational initiatives like LIVE outside the bottle. For more information about Cephalon and Alkermes, please visit: www.cephalon.com or www.alkermes.com.

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¹ SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies. Substance Dependence, Abuse and Treatment Tables; 2003.
² CADCA Survey, September 29, 2005.