Over The Counter (OTC)

P&G's Prilosec goes deep on social media

Matthew Arnold January 21, 2010

Procter & Gamble is launching a social media initiative for Prilosec as part of its bid to maintain the PPI's leadership position in a crowded market.
 

GSK launches puckish $15m "Sucks less" effort for Nicorette

Matthew Arnold December 09, 2009

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is taking an irreverent tone with its latest ads for Nicorette, featuring the tagline "Makes Quitting Suck Less."
 

Prevacid OTC switch gets $200 million launch effort

Matthew Arnold November 18, 2009

Novartis Consumer Health launched OTC Prevacid with a $200 million marketing campaign featuring the tagline: "When you've had it with heartburn."
 

Rite Aid launches video site for OTC coupons

Ben Comer August 07, 2009

Schering-Plough, Novartis, J&J, Wyeth and others are using Rite Aid's new "video values" site to offer coupons and information about their products.
 

Last chance to grab glory

June 04, 2009

If you still haven't entered the MM&M Awards 2009, then you'd better move fast--today (June 5) is the final deadline for submissions.
 

GSK pairs Wynonna Judd album with Alli

Ben Comer March 16, 2009

Consumers purchasing GSK's weight loss drug Alli will receive a free copy of Wynonna Judd's new album "Sing," beginning in March.
 

Most Zyrtec users didn't switch to OTC

Ben Comer November 10, 2008

Data analyzing Zyrtec's crossover found many patients didn't follow the drug over the counter, according to a Nielsen-Wolters Kluwer Health report.
 

GSK sees smokers return to patches, gum

Matthew Arnold June 27, 2008

GlaxoSmithKline is seeing a "leveling off of the impact" of Chantix on sales of its behind-the-counter nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) amid concerns about the safety of the smoking cessation drug.
 

First-year sales of GSK's Alli 'underwhelming,' analyst says

Stephen McGuire June 12, 2008

Although four million people have tried GlaxoSmithKline's OTC weight loss drug Alli during its first year on the market, preliminary sales figures are "pretty underwhelming," one analyst tells the Associated Press.
 

FDA to Merck: Mevacor OTC not approvable

Stephen McGuire January 28, 2008

The FDA needs to see additional data from Merck before approving an OTC version of the drugmaker's cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor (lovastatin).
 

GSK to shift consumer media business by end of Feb.

Marc Iskowitz December 21, 2007

GlaxoSmithKline should be finished transitioning the media planning and buying for its North American OTC business by the end of February, a spokesperson for the drugmaker said.
 

FDA rejects Merck's Mevacor OTC bid

Stephen McGuire December 18, 2007

An FDA advisory panel has rejected Merck's bid to sell the cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor without a prescription.
 

Reckitt Benckiser to acquire Adams for $2.3 billion

Stephen McGuire December 11, 2007

UK-based cleaning products manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser announced Monday that it has agreed to buy US OTC drug maker Adams Respiratory Therapeutics for $2.3 billion.
 

GSK buys Mevacor OTC rights

Stephen McGuire November 27, 2007

GlaxoSmithKline will buy the rights to market Merck's cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor (lovastatin) over-the-counter (OTC) in the US, pending FDA approval. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
 

FDA OKs OTC Zyrtec-D

Stephen McGuire November 09, 2007

The FDA said today it has approved Zyrtec-D (cetirizine HCl 5 mg and pseudoephedrine HCl 120 mg) as an OTC product for adults and children 12 years of age and older.
 

FDA eyes Nexium, Prilosec for heart risks with early communication

Matthew Arnold August 09, 2007

The Food and Drug Administration flagged potential cardiovascular risks with AstraZenecas Nexium and its predecessor, Prilosec, but said it has not yet established an increased risk and discouraged doctors and patients from discontinuing use of the drugs.
 

Bayer seeking approval of OTC Pravachol version

Stephen McGuire July 02, 2007

German drugmaker Bayer is in talks with the FDA about marketing a low-dose version of the cholesterol drug Pravachol to consumers in the US without a prescription, Bloomberg News reports.
 

GlaxoSmithKline gearing up for Alli launch

Stephen McGuire June 13, 2007

GlaxoSmithKline continues to prepare for the rollout of its new OTC diet pill Alli.
 

FDA petitioned to approve OTC switches

James G. Dickinson June 01, 2007

The FDA was petitioned to approve OTC switches for Allegra (fexofenadine), Allegra D 12-hour and 24-hour (fexofenadine with pseudophedrine), and Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Zyrtec D (cetirizine with pseudophedrine).
 

Family Research Council file suit to overturn Plan B decision

James G. Dickinson June 01, 2007

The Family Research Council and a coalition of medical and women’s groups have filed suit to overturn the FDA’s decision to approve Plan B for OTC sales. They say the FDA lacked authority to approve the application and did so in response to political pressure.
 

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