Treatment just got easier
February 28, 2012
JOHNSON & Johnson Pacific is
looking towards pharmacists as a
key element in its fight against
diarrhoea, as it prepares to launch
its newest weapon, Imodium Zapid.
When it hits shelves this April,
Zapid will be the only
anti-diarrhoeal tablet in Australia
that comes in a dissolvable format,
which melts within seconds of
being placed on the sufferers tongue.
Flavoured mint, the tablet does
not need to be chewed or taken
with water, and “works to help to
restore the body’s natural rhythm,”
with its active ingredient being
loperamide hydrochloride, which
slows down the contractions of the
muscles in the gut.
“The role of the pharmacist is
fundamental in the effective and
efficient treatment of digestive
health issues such as diarrhoea,
and we are seeing more than ever
that convenience and portability is
at the forefront of consumers’
minds when considering treatment
options,” said community
pharmacist Gerald Quigley.
“Sufferers can delay treating
episodes, which has a knock on
affect on their quality of life and
mobility.
“It is important for pharmacists to
interact with their customers,
understand the real causes of their
diarrhoea, and ultimately help
them to proactively manage
episodes so that they can get back
to their normal daily activities as
quickly as possible,” said Quigley.
MEANWHILE coinciding with the
launch J&J Pacific has released new
research which revealed that nearly
three-million people in Australia
suffer from diarrhoea at least once
a month.
The research, which looked at
1,000 Australians, found that nearly
two-thirds of frequent diarrhoea
sufferers are prevented from doing
what they would normally do as a
result of the condition; whilst
nearly one quarter get five hours or
less of sleep per night.
People who suffer from diarrhoea,
according to the study, were also
found to miss up to seven days of
work a year on average.
Interestingly, the research also
found that 51% of sufferers are
open to speaking to their
pharmacist or pharmacy assistant
about their condition.
“We want to take a leadership role
in this area,” said J&J Marketing
Manager, Declan Rooney.
“With this research we wanted to
understand the sufferer in great
depth, which enables us to present
a broader package to pharmacy, to
give them the tools and information
to consult with patients about
diarrhoea,” he added.
To this end, J&J Pacific is
supporting the launch of Imodium
Zapid with a pharmacy educational
campaign, which will include up-todate
information on its products
and how to recommend them, as
well as a digestive health pharmacy
education and training program.
The program will also include
counter units and information
leaflets as well as a pharmacy
assistant competition.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 28 Feb 12To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 28 Feb 12
