(BPT) -

After weeks of hoping for the best, thinking “This will go away on its own!” and wondering how this could have ever happened to you, you finally decide to seek medical attention. Your diagnosis? External genital warts (EGW). There are approximately 360,000 people in the U.S. diagnosed with EGW each year.^[i]

Without knowing much about the condition – besides the fact that it’s a sexually transmitted disease (STD) – you may immediately ask, “What now?” followed by “Is it treatable?,” “Is it contagious?” and “Will I have EGW for the rest of my life?”

The best place to go for answers to these types of questions is your doctor. Because sexual health isn’t usually an openly discussed topic, the majority of patients don’t know what to expect after an EGW diagnosis, but the reality is that it doesn’t have to be scary. Your doctor can work with you to answer all of your questions and ensure you get the best care possible.

Here’s some advice for EGW patients on how to effectively work with your doctor to successfully treat EGW:

• Be Honest: Having an open and honest conversation with your doctor is the first step to clearing EGW. It’s not easy to talk about your sexual history or your current symptoms – but the more you share with your doctor, the easier it is for him or her to help identify the best way to treat your EGW. Don’t forget to mention other medications you may be taking and if you have any worries or fears about potential treatments.

• Think About Your Strategy: When it comes to EGW treatment, there are provider-administered treatments, which include freezing and laser therapy, as well as patient-applied treatments, like prescription creams and ointments that can be used at home. Each treatment has benefits and risks, and no single treatment has been shown to work for all patients or all types of EGW. In fact, sometimes a combination of treatments works best.^[ii],[iii]

• Do Your Research: Between provider-administered and patient-applied treatments, there are various options to choose from to effectively treat EGW. One patient-applied prescription treatment approved for use is VEREGEN^® (sinecatechins) Ointment, 15%. VEREGEN has been proven to completely clear EGW in a majority of patients when compared against a placebo treatment (53.6 percent vs. 35.3 percent).^[iv] Further, in patients who achieve complete clearance on VEREGEN – it is likely that the clearance will be sustained over time (93.2 percent saw sustained clearance 12 weeks post treatment).^[v] VEREGEN is made from the extract of green tea leaves, and is also the first botanical drug approved for prescription use in the U.S.^[vi]

Talk to you doctor about whether VEREGEN may be right for you. And, visit www.VEREGEN.com for additional information and resources, and to learn more about whether you are eligible to receive the VEREGEN Instant Savings Card.

Indication

VEREGEN^® (sinecatechins) is indicated for the topical treatment of external genital and perianal warts (Condylomata acuminata) in immunocompetent patients 18 years and older.^[vii]

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Do not use VEREGEN^® Ointment, 15% if you are allergic to any ingredient in this product. Do not use VEREGEN^® Ointment, 15% for warts in the vagina, cervix, or inside the anus. Avoid contact with your eyes, nostrils and mouth while ointment is on your finger(s).

Avoid use of VEREGEN^® on open wounds. Do not expose skin that has been treated with VEREGEN^® to the sunlight, sunlamps or tanning beds. Tell your doctor if you are using any other type of skin product on the area to be treated. Avoid sexual contact (genital, anal or oral) when VEREGEN^® Ointment, 15% is on your genital or perianal skin. If you do choose to have sexual contact, you must wash off the ointment carefully before having protected sexual contact as the ointment may weaken condoms and vaginal diaphragms.

Be sure to tell the doctor if you have a weak immune system, if you are pregnant or nursing a baby, or if you have used VEREGEN^® before. Avoid using this product in patients younger than 18 years of age or for longer than 16 weeks. If your warts do not go away or come back after treatment contact your doctor.

The most common side effects with VEREGEN^® Ointment, 15% are local skin and application site reactions including: redness, itching, burning, pain, sores, swelling, hard spots, and rash with blisters.

For more information, consult your healthcare professional.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Please visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you have a product complaint about VEREGEN^®, please call PharmaDerm customer service at 1-800-525-8747.

The information within this article should not take the place of talking with your healthcare professional. If you need medical information, please talk to your healthcare professional.

Please see link to full Patient Information. VEREGEN^® (sinecatechins) Ointment, 15% Patient Information.

Please see link to full Prescribing Information. VEREGEN^® (sinecatechins) Ointment, 15% Full Prescribing Information.

This article is sponsored by PharmaDerm. © 2015 PharmaDerm. All rights reserved.

Veregen® is a registered trademark of Medigene AG, D-82152 Planegg/Martinsried, Germany.

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[i] CDC.gov. STD Facts - Human papillomavirus (HPV). 2015. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm. Accessed August 20, 2015.

[ii] White C. Genital warts: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Nlmnihgov. 2015. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000886.htm. Accessed August 18, 2015.

[iii] CDC.gov. CDC - Genital Warts - 2010 STD Treatment Guidelines. 2015. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/genital-warts.htm. Accessed August 18, 2015.

[iv] Veregen (sinecatechins) [prescribing information], Melville, NY: PharmaDerm a division of Fougera; Revised 2012.

[v] Veregen (sinecatechins) [prescribing information], Melville, NY: PharmaDerm a division of Fougera; Revised 2012.

[vi] Genital Warts: A Comprehensive Review. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(6):25-36. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390234/. Accessed September 23, 2015.

[vii] Veregen (sinecatechins) [prescribing information], Melville, NY: PharmaDerm a division of Fougera; Revised 2012.