Drug Topics - December 12, 2008 - (Page 36)

Product Updates HEADACHE MEDICATIONS Exclusive DT survey: Pharmacies selling more OTC headache medications Motrin, Tylenol, Bayer, and Ecotrin among most recommended ALAINA SCOTT, Senior Editor OTC Bayer was one of the top two aspirin products recommended. Tylenol was one of the top acetaminophen products suggested. t’s much easier for most consumers to ask a pharmacist about headache products than to do research on their own. So it should come as no surprise that a recent Drug Topics study found pharmacists, on average, counsel 19 patients each week on over-the-counter (OTC) headache medications. The exclusive study included questions for pharmacists about what influences their recommendations for headache medications, how often they approach customers to offer tips for ﬁnding the appropriate OTC headache product, and how often customers take the advice. The survey also revealed the brands and products pharmacists most frequently recommend for headache relief. Survey results from 262 respondents indicate an increase in the number of headache products sold this year over I one year ago. In fact, 57 percent of the pharmacists who responded said they were selling more OTC headache medications. Pharmacists seem to have varying opinions about what is driving the perceived increase in demand for these products, according to the survey. Some respondents blamed advertising for creating heavier customer reliance on these medications, while others praised advertisements for making the customers more aware of the products available. According to one pharmacist, “The economy is causing major headaches. I think people have gotten a lot less tolerant of pain — whether it’s mild or severe. People do not want to hurt, and they know there are too many products out there to cure their pain.” Others pharmacists said customers’ inability to afford prescription pain medi- cations was driving the increase in OTC products. Fifty-six percent of respondents said annual revenues generated for their stores by OTC products in 2007 had increased, compared to 2006. Forty-three percent say OTCs contributed the same percentage to their budget in 2007 as they did in 2006. Only 1 percent completely disagreed, saying that the percentage had actually decreased. Most respondents had a few ideas for manufacturers seeking to improve sales of their headache products. More advertising, better product design, and more speciﬁc information about side effects, price, and dosage were among the suggestions. “Be more truthful, stop duplication, and stop using combinations of no health value,” one pharmacist said. When asked how they would like manufacturers to help with the sales W W W.D R U GTO P I C S .C O M 36 DRUG TOPICS D E C . 15, 2008 IMAGES PROVIDED COURTESY OF HAMACHER RESOURCE GROUP http://WWW.DRUGTOPICS.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - December 12, 2008

Drug Topics - December 12, 2008 Contents Up Front Up Front In Depth Letters Health-System Edition Cover Story: Controlled Substance Disposal a Growing Problem for Hospitals Pharmacists Hope for Speedy Approvals Deaths from C. Difficile Increasing PharmMD Teams with HealthSpring RX Care Commentary Ohio Hospital Automates Pharmacy The Business Outlook for 2009 OTC The Pharmacist's Duty to Warn: Implications for Pharmacy Practice New Products Viewpoint

Drug Topics - December 12, 2008

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