Geography

Bayer is investing $52m in its Lerma, Mexico manufacturing site, which the firm said will enable it to increase production of key OTC brands like Aspirin and Alka-Seltzer from 100m to 140m units by 2030.

Proposed administrative order likely is first to prompt opposition from OTC industry or other stakeholders potentially delaying or deferring the agency’s expectation for moving its proposal to a deemed final order effective one year after it would be published.

Qnovia notes NRT inhalation product recently received investigational new drug clearance from FDA as agency and NIH say innovation needed smoking cessation to help improve rate of success for quitting the habit that kills around 500,000 US consumers annually.

The Washington State Department of Ecology will try to work with companies that violate the Toxic Free Cosmetics Act, rather than reflexively imposing the $5,000-per-violation fine for first-time offenders, says the law’s implementation planner. She noted financial assistance is available for small businesses, as well as incentives for companies adopting measures “beyond compliance.”

Bayer is investing $52m in its Lerma, Mexico manufacturing site, which the firm said will enable it to increase production of key OTC brands like Aspirin and Alka-Seltzer from 100m to 140m units by 2030.

OTC private label/store brand product giant’s Q2 net sales down 10.7% to $1.1bn, but women’s health product sales jump 31.4% largely on Opill launched late in Q1. Biggest hit to results from infant formula business, down a reported 82% due to ongoing manufacturing quality-control remediation.

Perrigo spares little about Opill’s launch, advertising and outlook in Q1 earnings briefing, but management also makes clear it’s a large firm and some other segments of its global consumer health products business are holding back overall results.

Direct seller reports Q1 sales up 1% to $1.3bn but net sales off 17.1% from year-ago period to $24.3m. Its distributor ranks jumped so far in 2024, particularly in China, where changes were made in the past year including new company leadership.

Developed using Datair's Ambee climate data technology, Opella’s Pollen Passport presents users with an easy to use and interactive online visualization of air quality at holiday destinations across the world.

IPA Europe responds critically to recent EU Ombudsman's decision that the EC’s position in relation to probiotics is “reasonable". “While we respect the Ombudsman’s role, its conclusions fail to address the main critical concerns raised by stakeholders,” the association insists.

Offer valuing struggling UK consumer health player Alliance at £350m has the backing of the company's board of directors.

In response to an IPA Europe complaint, European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly finds that the Commission’s interpretation of EU food legislation in relation to probiotics is “reasonable and in line with the main goal of this legislation, which is to ensure a high level of consumer protection.”

Haleon now holds 88% of its China OTC joint venture after acquiring a larger stake in the business from its local partners.

Organizations representing APAC health and medicines regulators and the consumer health industry respectively have agreed to “recognize the importance of self-care as a fundamental pillar of health and wellbeing” and “affirm our dedication to advancing self-care as an essential component of Universal Health Coverage.”

Self-care industry representatives from GSCF/AESGP, Bayer and Opella stress the seriousness of the global climate crisis at the 2024 GSCF, APSMI, TSMIA Joint Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, and also share iniatives that are attempting to deal with this crisis, for example replacing PVC in medicine blister packs with more easily recyclable materials.

GSCF research shows that self-care already saves the Asia Pacific region more than $30bn a year in healthcare system costs. To realize higher gains, health literacy, Rx-to-OTC switch and digitalization need to be leveraged, according to the EU-ASEAN Business Council.

Bayer Consumer Health, the Global Self-Care Federation and the Business Council for International Understanding outline in a paper how industry can work with multilateral organizations, governments, financial institutions, and stakeholders to "recognize and champion self-care as a fundamental driver of global health progress."

PAGB CEO Michelle Riddalls and ISF president emeritus David Webber have been awarded OBEs for their services to consumer health and self-care.

A round-up of the latest consumer health industry appointments: GSCF names next director general, MENAP-SCI elects chairman; Clasado hires BD director.

A slowdown in China and the US, along with signs of a weaker cough & cold season in the latter, has led Bayer Consumer Health to lower its full-year sales guidance.