Pharmacy Times Launches OTC Guide: 2011 Survey of Pharmacists' OTC Recommendations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bea Riemschneider, Editorial Director, (609) 716-7777 briemschneider@pharmacytimes.com

Pharmacy Times’ annual survey of pharmacists’ OTC recommendations, now in its 15th year, features key health categories and offers new apps for the pharmacist and consumer.

Pharmacy Times Launches OTC Guide: 2011 Survey of Pharmacists’ OTC Recommendations

PLAINSBORO, NJ (June 24, 2011)—Pharmacy Times has unveiled the new OTC Guide: 2011 Survey of Pharmacists’ OTC Recommendations, the survey considered to be the gold standard for pharmacists’ over-the-counter recommendations.

Now in its 15th year of publication, the OTC Guide has been expanded to meet the unique needs of tech-savvy users. In addition to featuring all of the top OTC recommendations in print and on the consumer-friendly www.OTCGuide.net, Pharmacy Times is also launching the new OTC Guide iPad and Android apps, which will feature the same color-coded, easy-to-use format of the print publication while also offering exclusive content for these platforms.

“Our goal is to enable pharmacists—the most accessible and among the most trusted health care professionals—to easily locate the products that are most often recommended by their peers,” said Tighe Blazier, executive vice president of MJH & Associates. “By adding the iPad and Android apps, we’re taking it a step further by providing this information right at the pharmacist’s—and the consumer’s—fingertips.”

For the survey, Pharmacy Times asked thousands of pharmacists to declare their preferred recommendations on brands in 152 OTC categories. Summaries of the most often recommended products are included in the survey, available as a supplement to the June 2011 issue of Pharmacy Times.

An increasing number of patients are turning to OTC products to help manage conditions such as allergies, arthritis, migraines, and gastrointestinal problems. As a result, pharmacists are being called on more than ever before to make recommendations from among the 1000+ OTC brands available for patients.

“Just as patients rely on pharmacists to provide valuable assistance in selecting from among thousands of over-the-counter products, pharmacists rely on OTC Guide to learn about the products that are most often recommended by their colleagues,” said Pharmacy Times Editorial Director Bea Riemschneider. “OTC Guide provides an appealing and easy-to-use format to help pharmacists find the information they need to counsel patients in selecting OTC products.”

In addition to the summaries of the products most often recommended in 14 distinct health categories, including allergies, women’s health, pain management, and vitamins/supplements, the OTC Guide also includes a number of valuable features and updates related to OTC products. Among the key topics addressed are natural treatments for hot flashes, trends in supplement use, OTC treatments for allergies, and an update on changes that are being made in pediatric dosing. Also included this year is a recap of key findings from major medical conferences held during the past year.

“The OTC Guide is one of the most highly-anticipated and well-respected publications in the industry,” said Mike Hennessy, president, chairman, and chief executive officer of MJH & Associates, the publisher of Pharmacy Times. “By showcasing the brands and products that were most highly recommended by their peers, OTC Guide helps pharmacists more effectively counsel patients in selecting the right product—and with these innovative, user-friendly versions, this valuable information will be available on demand.”

About Pharmacy Times

Pharmacy Times is a clinically based, monthly journal providing practical information pharmacists can use in their everyday practice. Each issue contains articles and features covering medication errors, drug interactions, patient education, pharmacy technology, disease state management, patient counseling, product news, pharmacy law, and specialty pharmacy. Pharmacy Times is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of free continuing pharmacy education. Pharmacy Times can be found on Facebook at Facebook.com/PharmacyTimes and on Twitter @Pharmacy_Times.

Pharmacy Times is published by Intellisphere, LLC, a leading provider of health care publishing, research, information, and education. Operating within both traditional and digital media channels, Intellisphere serves the needs of health care professionals through an extensive suite of magazines, journals, e-mail databases, Web sites, events, and personal meetings.

Intellisphere reaches more than half a million health care professionals through Pharmacy Times, Specialty Pharmacy Times, The American Journal of Managed Care, The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits, MD Magazine: Peers & Perspectives, HCPlive.com, Oncology & Biotech News, OncLive, Contemporary Oncology, and OncNurse.