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| Health Care – Pharmaceuticals | | Health Care – Medical Technology | | Animal Health | | Consumer Health | | ||
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Pfizer’s Consumer Health Care Group (CHC) is a worldwide marketer of leading over-the-counter (OTC) health care products. Among the category-leading U.S. OTC brands are Visine in eye care, Cortizone anti-itch medicines, BenGay topical analgesics, Desitin diaper rash treatments, Unisom sleep aids, and Rid for killing lice. Consumer Health Care is unique in the OTC drug business, as it markets six number one share brands. CHC offers an unequaled range of ophthalmic products for relieving red eyes from minor irritation caused by dust, smoke, other airborne pollutants, and swimming. Visine Original is a decongestant eye drop containing the highly effective vasoconstrictor tetrahydrozoline to remove redness by shrinking swollen blood vessels in the eye. Visine A.C. also contains an ocular astringent for the fast, temporary relief of itchy, sticky, watery eyes due to dust or hay fever. Visine Extra contains a lubricant that soothes, cools, and moisturizes irritated dry eyes. The vasoconstrictor in Visine L.R. provides long-lasting relief.CHC launched a major line extension, Visine Advanced Relief, in early 1998. It combines the redness-relieving power of tetrahydrozoline with three moisturizing ingredients to quickly cool, soothe, and refresh irritated eyes. The Visine line was supplemented in 1996 with the U.S. launch of OcuHist, an antihistamine eye drop previously sold as a prescription drug.Cortizone hydrocortisone products, acquired by CHC in 1996, provide temporary relief of itching associated with minor skin irritations and rashes due to eczema, insect bites, poison ivy, dry skin, and other causes. This product line is available in a variety of formulation strengths and as a cream, ointment, or liquid.BenGay has been providing relief from the pain and stiffness of minor arthritis and muscle aches since its introduction in 1898. While many other products have come and gone during this period of time, BenGay continues to lead the market. The product is available in five formulations, including BenGay Ultra, which is the only leading topical analgesic with three pain relievers.
Desitin’s active ingredient, zinc oxide, promotes healing, protects, and helps seal out wetness that can cause diaper rash. Fast acting, the product can show significant improvement just 10 hours after application. The Desitin line was expanded at the end of 1997 with the launch of Desitin Creamy, a highly effective, lighter formulation. This new formulation has already captured 10 percent of the market.Medical tests have shown that Unisom, with the active ingredient doxylamine succinate, helps people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. It provides the convenience of single-tablet dosing and is non-habit-forming.Rid, CHC’s pyrethrin-based medicine for killing head, body, and crab lice, showed strong sales growth in 1997. Sales of this brand have doubled in a four-year period. The product is sold with a fine-tooth comb that removes nits from the hair.In recent years, Pfizer has launched three prescription drugs for over-the-counter use—OcuHist, an antihistamine eyedrop; Zyrtec, an antihistamine for allergies, called Reactine in Canada; and Diflucan, a one-pill treatment for vaginal yeast infections in the United Kingdom.CHC’s broad product offering also includes Plax pre-brushing dental rinse, Barbasol and Pure Silk shaving creams, Hemorid hemorrhoidal treatments, and Bain de Soleil sun care products, all competitive brands in the U.S. market.Pfizer’s Mexican consumer products business is the market leader in shampoos and other hair care products, and has now successfully launched the OTC brands Visine, Desitin, and BenGay (under the name Power Rub). CHC also has growing businesses in the United Kingdom, Canada, and several Asian markets. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Consumer Health Care | ||
“The goal of the Consumer Health Care Group is to enhance our position in established over-the-counter (OTC) drug categories and expand our ability to switch products from prescription to OTC status. In addition to our ophthalmic product line, we continue to extend our major consumer brands—such as the BenGay line of topical analgesics and Desitin baby care products—to maintain leadership positions. |
The goal of the ophthalmic research group is to develop innovative Visine formulations that strengthen its leadership in the redness-relief segment of eye care. Advanced Relief Visine is the most recent extension of the Visine line and follows the launch of OcuHist, our first Rx-to-OTC switch eyedrop for allergy sufferers. Developed in our laboratories, Advanced Relief Visine contains a unique combination of three moisturizers to soothe, cool, and refresh irritated eyes. Here, at our Consumer Health Care research center in New Jersey, we are working on developing state-of-the-art products that meet consumers’ needs in every segment of the eye care category.” Thierry Bilbault, Ph.D. Associate Director, Research and Development, Consumer Health Care Group |
Product development chemist Estelle O’Connor tests a new Visine formulation. |
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