The holy grail of consumer health innovation, Rx-to-OTC switches, are costly and hard to pull off. So, are they worth the effort? An analysis by IQVIA of desloratadine, which was switched in Germany 2020 by Novartis subsidiary, Hexal, shows that they are, with sales of OTC desloratadine products growing 112% between 2019 and 2020.
Rx-to-OTC switches are the holy grail of consumer healthcare market innovation and growth. But they are hard work. They require huge investment on the part of firms.
A complicated switch in the US, for example, can cost anywhere in the region of $30m to $50m. (Also see...
The evidence underpinning the “polluter pays” principle of the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive - which calls on Europe's pharmaceutical industry to cough up at least 80% of the cost of updating wastewater treatment facilities - is looking increasingly shaky, according to a new report.
An increasing awareness of and interest in gut health helped the global OTC market grow by 4.6% in value terms in 2024, according to IQVIA Consumer Health.
Ahead of a soon to be released 10-Year Health Plan for the English NHS, an alliance including PAGB calls for self-care to be “clearly recognised and supported through concrete policies that reflect its vital role in achieving the plan’s goals.”
