Celebrity Designer Ty Pennington to Host ‘ADHD Experts On Call’ Program

Nation’s leading ADHD experts to answer questions about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 19, 2007 -- The ninth annual ‘ADHD Experts on Call’ program will take place on September 19, 2007, from 8 a.m. to midnight EDT, to provide patients, families and caregivers with the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) from some of the nation’s top experts. Celebrity designer Ty Pennington, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, is partnering with Shire, the ADHD Support Company, for the fourth consecutive year to co-host the event and talk about his experience living with the disorder. Experts will answer questions via the toll-free telephone hotline, 1-888-ASK-ADHD, and through live online chats at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com.

The confidential one-on-one hotline and online chats are available with access to English- and Spanish-speaking experts, including physicians, nurses, educators and patient advocates who can help educate the public about ADHD.

September 19, 2007, also marks national ADHD Awareness Day and in honor of this occasion, Ty Pennington will join a free one-hour webcast with Michael Manos, Ph.D., a noted clinical psychologist from Cleveland Clinic. The webcast, co-sponsored by ADDitude magazine, will take place live from noon to 1 p.m. EDT on September 19, and will be hosted on www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com. Those joining the webcast will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Manos questions about ADHD and to ask Ty Pennington about his experience living with ADHD.

“I love being part of a support program like ‘ADHD Experts on Call,”’ said Ty Pennington, host of ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TM. “This program lets others know there are knowledgeable people out there ready to help them. I wouldn’t be where I am today without getting diagnosed and treated for my ADHD.”

Over the last eight years, the ‘ADHD Experts on Call’ program has fielded tens of thousands of inquiries; helping people affected by ADHD better understand the condition and how to manage it. This program provides a resource for those who may not be familiar with ADHD, its signs and symptoms and how ADHD is diagnosed. It is also an opportunity to talk to an expert about tips and strategies for managing ADHD for someone who already has been diagnosed with the disorder.

While the experts participating in ‘ADHD Experts on Call’ cannot provide specific medical advice or recommend a particular course of action, they can provide helpful information about:

* How to recognize ADHD symptoms in children, adolescents and adults;

* How parents can approach teachers about their child’s ADHD-related needs;

* Tips and strategies for how to manage ADHD throughout the day;

* How to handle the impact of ADHD on family life, work performance and personal relationships;

* The potential for ADHD to run in families;

* Common myths and misconceptions about ADHD.

“It’s never too late to be diagnosed with ADHD,” said Dr. Manos. “‘ADHD Experts on Call’ doesn’t replace a physician visit, but it can serve as a resource to educate people about ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, support groups and treatment options that can help them better understand the disorder.”

For further information please contact:

Alana Brier (Porter Novelli for Shire)

(212) 601-8432

alana.brier @ porternovelli.com

Jessica Kwartner (Porter Novelli for Shire)

(212) 601-8429

jessica.kwartner @ porternovelli.com

About ADHD

Approximately 7.8 percent of all school-age children, or about 4.4 million U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years, have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. To be properly diagnosed with ADHD, a child needs to demonstrate at least six of nine symptoms of inattention; and/or at least six of nine symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity; the onset of which appears before age 7 years; that some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school and home); that the symptoms continue for at least six months; and that there is clinically significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning and the symptoms cannot be better explained by another psychiatric disorder.

Although there is no “cure” for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that specifically target its symptoms. The most common standard treatments include educational approaches, psychological or behavioral modification, and medication.

For further information on ADHD please visit www.ADHDSupport.com , www.additudemag.com , www.CHADD.org , www.ADD.org or www.ADDConsults.com.

Shire plc

Shire’s strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT), gastrointestinal (GI) and renal diseases. The structure is sufficiently flexible to allow Shire to target new therapeutic areas to the extent opportunities arise through acquisitions. Shire believes that a carefully selected portfolio of products with a strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales force will deliver strong results.

Shire’s focused strategy is to develop and market products for specialty physicians. Shire’s in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in niche markets with strong intellectual property protection either in the US or Europe.

For further information on Shire, please visit the Company’s website: www.shire.com.

THE “SAFE HARBOR” STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Statements included herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time. In the event such risks or uncertainties materialize, Shire’s results could be materially affected. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the inherent uncertainty of pharmaceutical research, product development, manufacturing and commercialization; the impact of competitive products, including, but not limited to the impact of those on Shire’s Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”) franchise; patents, including but not limited to, legal challenges relating to Shire’s ADHD franchise; government regulation and approval, including but not limited to the expected product approval date of INTUNIV™ (guanfacine) extended release (ADHD); Shire’s ability to secure new products for commercialization and/or development; Shire’s ability to benefit from its acquisition of New River Pharmaceuticals Inc.; the successful development of JUVISTA® (human TGF²3) and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Shire plc’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly Shire plc’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006.

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