HBW Insight: Health, Beauty and Wellness

HBW Insight

Japan's New Rx-To-OTC Procedure Exacerbating Switch Blockage Says JSMI

By David Ridley 07 Aug 2019

Japan's new Rx-to-OTC switch procedure has exacerbated a "switch lag" compared with developed countries, says Japan Self-Medication Industry senior adviser Toshi Tominaga in an exclusive interview with HBW Insight. Tominaga proposes improvements such as self-care education for consumers and drug usage advice included by firms in switch applications to help balance the risk-benefit decisions of expert judges.

Topic Policy and regulation

HBW Insight

Long-term E-cigarette Use Could Spark More Smoking, French Study Suggests

By Malcolm Spicer 29 Jul 2019

Research in JAMA Internal Medicine studied "longitudinal associations between [e-cigarette] use and tobacco smoking patterns in a large population-based cohort study" and found use was associated with reduction in smoking and an increased probability of smoking cessation. But the researchers saw that e-cigarette users who quit tobacco "tended to relapse to smoking more frequently than" former smokers who didn't use e-cigarettes.

Topic Medtech

Topic Drug review Drug approval

HBW Insight

European CBD Market Snapshot: UK Leads As Retailers Get On Board With FSA Decision Pending

By David Ridley 05 Jul 2019

The UK's cannabidiol market, which according to the Cannabis Trades Association is the largest in Europe, awaits clarification on the legal status of CBD-containing food supplements. Meanwhile, major retailers like Walgreen Boots Alliance are stepping into the space with branded products.

Topic Policy and regulation Strategy Drug approval

HBW Insight

Congress Should Open CBD Door Close VMS Market Holes Sharfstein Cohen

By Malcolm Spicer 04 Jul 2019

"We seem to be headed toward a confusing, uneven, and potentially risky market in CBD products. This situation creates an opportunity for Congress to take action," say Joshua Sharfstein and Pieter Cohen in NEJM. Additionally, GW Pharma exec says FDA should reign in the "unfettered" production and sales of food and supplements containing CBD , hemp or other cannabis-based ingredients to prevent potential harm to consumers.

Topic FDA Policy and regulation

HBW Insight

PAGB Looks To The Future As It Celebrates 100-Year Anniversary

By Tom Gallen 04 Jul 2019

Maximizing opportunities from digital technology, addressing environmental concerns and responding to the challenges of Brexit are among the Proprietary Association of Great Britain's top priorities as it enters its second century. The association invited guests from around the world to celebrate its centenary at a gala dinner in London on 17 June.

Topic Brexit Digital Health Strategy

HBW Insight

With High Profile At FDA, Gottlieb Headed Ambitious Consumer Health Initiatives

By Malcolm Spicer 03 Jul 2019

Scott Gottlieb claimed higher profile than most previous FDA commissioners with frequent Twitter posts and by including his remarks in many agency communications to industries and consumers. In his nearly two years in post, he also had more central role in FDA initiatives in areas such as keeping unsafe products labeled as supplements off the market and explaining why hemp and CBD are available and supplements even though FDA considers the products noncompliant as dietary ingredients.

Topic FDA

HBW Insight

FDA Consumer Health Market Oversight Stays In Spotlight In Gottlieb's Final Week

By Malcolm Spicer 11 Jun 2019

In four days before Scott Gottlieb's stint as commissioner ended, FDA announced official start of initiative to consider regulatory pathways to make CBD compliant as a dietary ingredient, launched another shot across kratom sector's bow and noted more examples of e-cigarette marketers crossing regulatory lines.

Topic FDA

HBW Insight

Bayer's Consumer Health Struggles Continue In Q1, But The Firm Insists It's On The Right Track

By Tom Gallen 10 Jun 2019

Bayer Consumer Health's sales declined at a single-digit rate in the first quarter of 2019, as the business continued to battle challenges in Europe and the US. Undeterred by this slow start to the year, the German firm says Consumer Health's performance will begin to turnaround in the coming months.

Topic Business strategies

HBW Insight

Targeted Omega-3 Supplementation Could Save Up To €64.5bn In Healthcare Costs, Food Supplements Europe Claims

By David Ridley 07 Mar 2019

A new position paper by Food Supplements Europe calculates the potential savings that targeted supplementation with omega-3, calcium, phytosterols and vitamins D and B9 could bring for cash-strapped European governments.

Topic Drug development landscape Drug review

HBW Insight

E-Cigarettes' Appeal For Smoking Cessation Cooled By Risk Questions

By Eileen Francis 27 Feb 2019

E-cigarette use among people with cancer increased from 8.5% in 2014 to 10.7% in 2017, with the greatest increase among people younger than 50, according to a JAMA Oncology study. A recently NEJM study also questions safety of growing dependence on e-cigarettes by people trying to quit smoking.

Topic Cancer

HBW Insight

France's OTC Market in 2018: Self-Medication Sales Slump, Sanofi Claims Number-One Spot

14 Feb 2019

France's self-medication market had a difficult 2018, due to a weak flu season and changing dynamics in the sector, according to industry association Afipa. Despite this it was a good year for Sanofi, which overtook Boiron as the number-one OTC firm in the market, while its Doliprane analgesic became France's best-selling brand.

Topic Drug review

HBW Insight

Q4 Consumer Health Earnings Preview GSK Bayer RB And Sanofi

01 Feb 2019

GSK is looking to close out 2018 strongly as it prepares to launch its Consumer Health JV with Pfizer, while Bayer will be glad to see the back of a tough year. Elsewhere, RB is preparing for life after Rakesh Kapoor and Sanofi is ramping up its push into digital health.

Topic Business strategies