Program Seeks to Increase the Number of People Screened to Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer Diagnoses in Philadelphia

LAVAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / April 24, 2023 / Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) and its gastroenterology business, Salix Pharmaceuticals, today announced a partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance (Alliance), the nation's nonprofit leader dedicated to combatting colorectal cancer, to increase awareness and access to preventative colorectal screenings in medically underserved communities.

This May, the Alliance is launching a colorectal cancer screening and prevention initiative in Philadelphia with a focus on the communities facing the greatest disparities in health outcomes. In support of the Alliance's efforts to improve access to these screenings, Salix will donate its prescription bowel preparation product to individuals who require a colonoscopy. Colonoscopies are a critical tool in the early detection of colorectal cancer¹. Research shows colorectal cancer can have a 90% survival rate if caught early².

"The importance of early detection and prevention in colorectal cancer cannot be overstated, and Salix is committed to working with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in its endeavors to address health inequities and to break down barriers to prevention and treatment among those who lack access to care," said Nicola Kayel, vice president, GI Marketing, Salix.

According to the American Cancer Society, excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women - and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women combined in the U.S.; and in 2023, it is estimated there will be 106,970 new cases of colon cancer and 46,050 new cases of rectal cancer³.

The disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes are largely driven by socioeconomic inequities that result in differences in access to early detection tests and receiving timely, high-quality care. In fact, 44% of the socioeconomic disparity is attributed to differences in the prevalence of risk factors associated with CRC, such as smoking and obesity, and a similar proportion is due to differences in screening⁴.

"As the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to ending colorectal cancer, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance is proud to collaborate with Salix on this important public health initiative," said Marcie Klein, Senior Vice President, Prevention at the Alliance. "Breaking down barriers to prevention and screening among those at greater risk of diagnosis and death from colorectal cancer is a shared goal of our two organizations. The donation of product by Salix will greatly assist in the program's success."

About Salix

Salix Pharmaceuticals is one of the largest specialty pharmaceutical companies in the world committed to the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. For more than 30 years, Salix has licensed, developed, and marketed innovative products to improve patients' lives and arm healthcare providers with life-changing solutions for many chronic and debilitating conditions. Salix currently markets its product line to U.S. healthcare providers through an expanded sales force that focuses on gastroenterology, hepatology, pain specialists, and primary care. Salix is headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey. For more information about Salix, visit www.Salix.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For 30 years, Salix Pharmaceuticals has been committed to the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix licenses, develops, and markets innovative products to improve patients' lives and arm healthcare providers with life-changing solutions. Salix is headquartered in Bridgewater, New Jersey.

About Bausch Health

Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE/TSX: BHC) is a global diversified pharmaceutical company whose mission is to improve people's lives with our health care products. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals, and eye health, through our controlling interest in Bausch + Lomb. With our leading durable brands, we are delivering on our commitments as we build an innovative company dedicated to advancing global health. For more information, visit www.bauschhealth.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About the Colorectal Cancer Alliance

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colorectal cancer. Working with our nation of passionate allies, we diligently support the needs of patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; eagerly raise awareness of preventive screening; and continually strive to fund critical research. As allies in the struggle, we are fiercely determined to end colorectal cancer within our lifetime. For more information, visit ccalliance.org.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements about the future performance of Bausch Health which may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "subject to" and variations or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to Bausch Health's overall business, including those more fully described in Bausch Health's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and detailed from time to time in Bausch Health's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which factors are incorporated herein by reference.

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1. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Colorectal Cancer: What You Should Know About Screening. Published March 22, 2023. Accessed April 12, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/colorectal-cancer-what-you-should-know-about-screening
2. American Cancer Society. Can Colorectal Polyps and Cancer Be Found Early? Cancer.org. Updated June 29, 2020. Accessed April 4, 2023.https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
3. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Colorectal Cancer. Cancer.org. Updated January 13, 2023. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/about/key-statistics.html.
4. American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022. Cancer.org. Published 2020. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures-2020-2022.pdf

Investor Contact:
Mark Maico
ir@bauschhealth.com
(877) 281-6642 (toll-free)

Media Contact:
Kevin Wiggins
corporate.communications@bauschhealth.com
(908) 541-3785

SOURCE: Bausch Health Companies Inc.