David Ridley

David Ridley

Senior Editor

Conventry, UK

David's coverage specializes in OTC medicines, dietary supplements and self-care medical devices. David is interested in regulatory gray areas such as the borderlines between medicines, supplements and medical devices, as well as botanical ingredients. David also regularly speaks to industry leaders and experts about the latest trends to deliver crucial market intelligence to HBW Insight readers, and co-hosts the Over the Counter podcast. In his spare time, David spends time in his allotment garden, reading/watching science fiction and worrying about climate change.

Latest from David Ridley

Over The Counter: What To Expect From The 61st AESGP Annual Meeting, With Jurate Švarcaite

HBW Insight speaks to AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite about what's on the agenda for the upcoming 61st AESGP Annual Meeting, which will take place in Warsaw, Poland, between 2-4 June. Highlights include the role of prevention in self-care, discussions about how regulators will ensure the competitiveness of European industry on the world stage and incoming changes to sustainability legislation.

‘Nothing Unexpected’ In Third Failed Application For OTC Sildenafil In Germany

“Overall, no unexpected/new data or findings” were presented to Germany's Expert Committee for Prescription in the most recent Rx-to-OTC switch application for sildenafil (25mg and 50mg), according to medicines regulator BfArM, resulting in a third rejection in three years.

Bayer Study Shows Potential Of Saliva-Based Biomarker For Healthy Aging

Bayer Consumer Health hopes its new InflammAge saliva-based biomarker can help “revolutionize self-care and how people can manage their aging journey.”

AESGP Slams ‘Deeply Concerning And Discriminatory’ EU Wastewater Directive

“Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility. It is unfair to expect only two sectors to fund wastewater treatment modernization and operation,” argues AESGP director general Jurate Švarcaite.

Thai TikTok Boom Driving Double-Digit Growth In Southeast Asia’s Dietary Supplements Market

TikTok dietary supplement sales in Thailand grew by an astonishing 635% in 2024, while sales via Vietnam's and Malaysia's traditional e-commerce platforms increased by a still impressive 73% and 83% respectively.

New Product Launches Ensured Growth For Stada CHC In 2024

Like many European firms, Stada Arzneimittel's 2024 earnings were held back by a soft cough, cold and flu season. However, key launches in its home market Germany and in the Middle East offset this impact and led to 3% organic growth for Stada's Consumer Healthcare business.