OTC drug firms should offer more digital tools that guide consumers in product purchases, says a health care marketing executive. The American Pharmacists Association suggests firms also strengthen outreach with pharmacists.

The OTC drug industry has yet to capitalize on using mobile and other digital technologies to drive sales growth as consumer practice of self-care continues growing, suggest a marketing executive and pharmaceutical trade group official tracking the trend.

Additionally, drug firms have slowed on another resource they have for connecting to consumers’ self-care interests – recommendations for OTC brands by health care professionals including pharmacists.

Procter & Gamble Co. and Johnson & Johnson are among the firms that have pioneered using mobile digital apps or partnering with health care providers to help consumers select OTC products or chose health care services, but overall too few companies are pursuing the strategy, said American Pharmacists Association spokeswoman Stefanie Ferreri.

“Self-care is one of the areas that is still untapped. That is an area we could have more applications, that could have more kiosks or things in store to help patients be able to make those decisions,” Ferreri, a professor at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, said during an interview.

“Once the patient sort of walks through those decisionmaking tools, whether with apps on their phone or kiosks in the store, then having a pharmacist there to make sure that the recommendation, that they are using that correctly is important.”

Guide Consumers In Store Aisles
APhA’s call for wider use of digital technology in OTC marketing is echoed by Lynn O’Connor Vos, CEO of health care marketing consultancy Grey Healthcare Group. “We are feeling as an agency, very bullish about the need for pharma and OTC players to get even more immersed in addressing the opportunities in the pharmacy, which would include what we call, turning every aisle into an educational opportunity,” she said.