Raleigh, NC (PressExposure) July 28, 2008 -- The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society announces that Christopher Viehbacher, president of North American Pharmaceuticals for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), will chair its annual Dinner of Champions (www.MSDinnerofChampions.org). The event, taking place on September 4 at Prestonwood Country Club, celebrates the positive contributions made by health and life sciences organizations.

“We are both excited and grateful to have Chris as part of this year’s event,” says Bob Bryan, president of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. “His extensive involvement and leadership in the pharmaceutical industry has played an intricate role in restoring its competitiveness and fueling the industry’s success.”

In addition to celebrating the positive contributions made by organizations in the health and life sciences, the Dinner of Champions will raise money to support the organization’s Access to Health Care Fund that aims to improve the access to health care for people affected by multiple sclerosis in eastern North Carolina.

“Multiple Sclerosis is the number one disabling disease among young adults in the U.S., and even though we’ve come a long way in managing the disease, we must press on,” says Viehbacher. “Whether we are offering patient services or working tirelessly in the lab, we owe it to the 4,300 people in eastern North Carolina living with MS and patients everywhere to find new treatments. I’m pleased to chair this year’s dinner and focus greater attention on the needs of MS patients.”

Visit www.MSDinnerofChampions.org, or call 919-834-0678 for more details.

About Christopher A. Viehbacher:
For more than 20 years, Chris Viehbacher has been a powerful leader in the pharmaceutical industry. He joined North American Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline when it was WellCome GmbH, Germany. In 2002, he served as one of two industry representatives on the G10 High Level Working Group sponsored by the European Commission to restore the competitiveness of the EU Pharmaceutical Industry. In 2003, the French Republic recognized Chris with is prestigious Légion d'Honneur award for his contributions to business and healthcare. Viehbacher was named head of North American Pharmaceuticals in May 2008 and currently serves as president of North American Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline.

About National Multiple Sclerosis Society

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society:
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. Each year, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devote approximately $125 million to programs and services that enhance more than one million lives to move us closer to a world free of MS. In 2007, the Society invested more than $46 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society today at http://www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800 FIGHT MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.

Press Release Source: http://PressExposure.com/PR/National_Multiple_Sclerosis_Society.html