The U.S. OTC market has enjoyed solid momentum in recent years, increasing far beyond the typical 2% to 3% annual growth it used to experience. Strong advertising and promotional investments, several new products, and Rx-to-OTC switch brands, as well as the steady distribution of major brands that had been off the market for several years, have helped propel the market beyond regular growth.

Lately, we’ve seen several alternative sources of competition for traditional OTCs that are emerging. Self-care devices, which have been around for many years in the beauty realm, are now entering OTC categories. TENS technology is being used in the topical analgesics market, while low light technology is seen in new devices that treat hair loss, cold sores, and even allergies. Bayer, which markets Aleve Direct Therapy TENS device for lower back pain, and Sanofi, with its Icy Hot TENS device, are among the new market entrants in this space.Continue reading→