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“Totally Unacceptable” – Industry, Experts React To EU OTC Antimicrobial Reverse-Switch Proposal

 
• By David Ridley

HBW Insight asked European consumer healthcare trade associations and experts for reactions to the news that OTC antifungals, like treatments for athlete’s foot, and OTC antivirals, like cold sore creams, could soon become prescription-only within the European Union.

• Source: Shutterstock

OTC antifungals, like treatments for athlete’s foot, and OTC antivirals like cold sore creams could soon become prescription-only within the European Union, according to the European Commission.

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More from Europe

Over The Counter: Brands, Brexit And New Self-Care Business Models, With PAGB’s Michelle Riddalls

 
• By David Ridley

HBW Insight catches up with UK OTC industry association CEO Michelle Riddalls to talk about digital self-care and the unrealized promise of Brexit - part 2.

Plenty For Industry To Do As EU Wastewater Directive Faces Legal Challenges

 
• By David Ridley

Engaging with EU member state legislators, stressing the impact of national EPR systems on the accessibility, availability, and affordability of medicines, reformulating products to reduce their financial contribution, and lobbying for expanding the scope of EPR schemes to include other polluting industries are all ways that the European consumer health industry can try and influence the way that the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is transposed into national legislation, law firm Mason Hayes & Curran explains.

French Agency Proposes Effective EU Ban On CBD In Foods And Cosmetics

 
• By David Ridley

France's food safety regulator ANSES is proposing a reproductive toxicity category 1B classification for CBD under the EU's CLP regulation, which would mean an effective ban on CBD in cosmetics and foods. However, French hemp industry association UIVEC hopes that new evidence coming out of a European Commission review will put the issue to bed before it gets that far.

Clasado Divests Bimuno Prebiotic Consumer Brand To UK’s Eleat

 
• By David Ridley

Eleat's acquisition encompasses Clasado's Bimuno finished supplement product line and customer base, but not its Bimuno GOS proprietary galactooligosaccharide prebiotic ingredient.

More from Geography

EU Parliament Agrees To Postpone Due Diligence And Sustainability Reporting Rules

 
• By David Ridley

Speaking at a recent AESGP webinar, sustainability expert Onur Durmus called the the European Commission’s “Omnibus” proposals - designed to simplify ESG reporting rules and recently supported by EU Parliament - a “positive development” for the European consumer health industry.

‘The Only Certainty Is Uncertainty’ In The UK’s Consumer Health Market

 
• By David Ridley

While uncertainty might reign in the UK consumer health market - which grew by by 8% to £4.1bn ($5.3bn) in 2024 - “opportunity is everywhere” according to NielsenIQ health and beauty insights manager Alex Heffernan.

Over The Counter: Evolving The UK Consumer Health Industry, With PAGB’s Michelle Riddalls

 
• By David Ridley

HBW Insight catches up with PAGB CEO Michelle Riddalls to chat about the association's new five year plan. Riddalls also reflects on the successes of the last five years, including relaunching the UK Reclassification Alliance, which has published a list of Rx-to-OTC switches the government would like to see applications for. Part one of two.