Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 263 No 7068 p687
October 23, 1999 Forum

The biennial Numark conference, October 11 to 15 1999, Penang, Malaysia

New complementary medicine initiative

A new approach to complementary and conventional medicine, entitled "Your health, your choice", was announced by Mr Andy Carter (Numark's category controller for over-the-counter medicines) on October 13. The initiative has been designed by Numark to enable its pharmacy customers to make an informed choice about their health care requirements. "Your health, your choice" offered consumers a "comprehensive, well-merchandised and informed choice of treatments" from herbal, homoeopathy, aromatherapy and supplements, which complemented conventional OTC options, said Mr Carter. To aid customers in the selection of an appropriate remedy, products on the "Your health, your choice" shop fixture were categorised by ailment. Icons were used to identify each type of treatment that was available to the customer.

Andy Carter: offering consumers an informed choice

Mr Carter outlined a typical scenario. If a customer walked into a pharmacy compaining about back pain, a pharmacist might normally offer a pack of ibuprofen tablets or gel. But with "Your health, your choice" the pharmacist could also offer the option of a pack of Devil's claw tablets, a homoeopathic remedy, an aromatherapy massage oil or a visit to a chiropractor. The customer could then select the product or service he or she felt best suited their needs.
Mr Carter added that Numark had negotiated with manufacturers, including Nelsons, Seven Seas, Potters, G. R. Lane, Peter Black Healthcare, Tisserand and Lichter Pharma, to provide training and education within their various fields. All Numark pharmacists who signed up to "Your health, your choice" would be required to partake of this training.
Some Numark pharmacists were already using the initiative and were "seeing sales increases in excess of 30 per cent", Mr Carter told the conference.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Mr Carter said that the complementary medicines market had seen rapid growth over the past five years and was now worth around £100m. Herbals had been the biggest sector and had seen growth of 29 per cent since 1993, while aromatherapy sales had increased by 87 per cent and homoeopathy sales had grown by just over the rate of inflation.
He went on: "Consumer awareness is the key driver and is fuelled by an increasing number of products, widening distribution, increased media exposure and consumer's changing attitudes, including the seeking of a more ‘natural' way of life. This is all confirmed by our own market research which highlighted a consumer need for advice on and availability of complementary medicines."