Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs and Dietary Supplements: Opportunities for Consumer Goods Distributors

Report Includes:

• An overview, scope and market landscape of Over-the-Counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplement products
• Coverage of regulatory needs and opportunities that can be found in the OTC drugs and dietary supplements industry for wholesale distributors
• Information on the role of govt. regulations on selling OTC medicines in outlets other than pharmacies, and how these changing regulatory landscapes can influence the FMCG market
• A look at various channels selling OTC medicines and dietary supplements (VMS); their market growth and specialized marketing methods of non-pharmacy channels

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements will change the landscape of primary healthcare in the coming years. Initiatives such as the encouraging of self-medication, the increasing support from governments to add more products into safe-to-use OTC classifications and the efforts by drug manufacturers to expand their product ranges in different markets will favor growth.

Stakeholders in the healthcare industry understand the benefits of self-care and the importance of making drugs for minor illness available without a prescription. This initiative is making healthcare treatment less dependent on doctors and involves pharmacists taking care of primary healthcare needs. Some nations have allowed self-selection of drugs for common illnesses such as low-grade fever, headache, cough and cold, and digestive issues. In the case of drugs where the government fears overdosage or of drugs that can be unsafe for self-selection, prior consultation with a pharmacist or a qualified person who knows drug history and is aware of adverse effects is made mandatory.