Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Definition
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Consumers who stock up are less satisfied with their pain reliever
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- Figure 1: Keep OTC on hand and satisfaction with current pain reliever, by pain self-assessment, April 2016
- Dependency concerns and war on opioids could impact analgesic sales
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- Figure 2: Dependency concern, April 2017
- The benefits of feminine pain relievers less apparent to key consumer group
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- Figure 3: Feminine pain relievers work the same as any oral pain reliever, by age, April 2017
- The opportunities
- Those with unbearable, constant, long-term pain still seeking relief
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- Figure 4: Willingness to try new pain relievers, try anything, and rely on daily pain reliever, by pain self-assessments, April 2017
- Newer pain relieving formats have limited use, yet significant potential
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- Figure 5: regular use and interest in using external patch/wrap and TENS device, April 2017
- Free-from claims can boost natural perceptions
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- Figure 6: Share of pain reliever product launches, by claim, 2012-16
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Sales of OTC remedies remain steady, a result of pervasive pain
- External analgesics growing, while internal accounts for vital quantity
- OTC TENS market the new breakout in pain management
- Age dynamics and the war on opioids impact product sales
Market Size and Forecast
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- Pain and sales of OTC remedies are constant
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- Figure 7: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 8: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Sales of pain relieving products continue in stride
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 10: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, by segment, at current prices, 2015 and 2017
Market Perspective
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- OTC TENS market expected to grow; more devices hit the market
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- Figure 11: Total US retail sales of OTC TENS devices, at current prices, 2014-16
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- Figure 12: MULO sales of electrotherapy devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
Market Factors
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- Age impacts choice in pain management
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- Figure 13: US population aged 18 or older, by age, 2011-21
- The war on opioids: the push to reduce abuse
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- J&J is the leader in pain management sales
- External analgesics segment growth outpaces internal remedies
- Minimal innovation and absence of a defined need stalls sales
- Free-from, improved package functionality, and product blurring
Company and Brand Sales of OTC Pain Relievers
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- Trust is reclaimed; J&J is back on top while Bayer and Pfizer drop
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- Figure 14: MULO sales of OTC pain medication and devices, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Working?
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- External analgesics’ sales boom due to a flood of Lidocaine
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- Figure 15: MULO sales of external analgesics, by leading brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- J&J keeps gaining market share
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- Figure 16: MULO sales of internal analgesics, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Retail presence a must for new introductions to gain widespread use
What’s Struggling?
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- Minimal innovation stalls muscle support device and ice/heat pack sales
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- Figure 17: Total MULO sales of muscle/body support devices and ice/heat packs, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- “Pink” pain relievers are not attaining acceptance
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- Figure 18: MULO sales of feminine pain relievers, by leading brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
What’s Next?
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- Fragrance-free and free-from ingredient claims on the rise
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- Figure 19: Share of pain reliever product launches, by claim, 2012-16
- Reducing the pain of opening the pill bottle
- New product launch blurs product lines
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Most adults experience pain and in multiple places of the body
- Internal analgesics are pervasive, external have more limited users
- Retail stores are the go-to for pain relievers
- For most people pain is occasional and tolerable
- People focus on overall wellbeing and new products for relief
- Many consumers keep a pain reliever on hand
Location of Pain
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- Most adults experience pain; headache or back pain are leading types
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- Figure 20: Location of pain repertoire, April 2017
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- Figure 21: Location of pain, April 2017
- Number and types of pain experienced vary some by age
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- Figure 22: Location of pain repertoire, by age, April 2017
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- Figure 23: Location of pain, by age, April 2017
- Headaches and migraines impact women most
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- Figure 24: Headache and migraine pain, by gender, April 2017
- White and Hispanic adults experience more pains
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- Figure 25: Location of pain repertoire, by race and Hispanic origin, April 2017
Pain Reliever Usage
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- Internal OTC pain relievers are the common go-to for relief
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- Figure 26: Pain reliever use, April 2017
- External pain relievers have more limited regular users
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- Figure 27: Profile of regular external OTC medicated rub/ointment pain reliever users, April 2017
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- Figure 28: Profile of regular external OTC medicated patch/wrap pain reliever users, April 2017
- Newer pain relieving formats have limited use, yet significant potential
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- Figure 29: Regular use and interest in using external patch/wrap and TENS device, April 2017
- Regular pain reliever use increases with additional pain experienced
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- Figure 30: Regularly use for pain relief, by repertoire of source of pain, April 2017
Purchase Location
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- Retail stores are the go-to for pain relievers
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- Figure 31: Pain reliever purchase location, April 2017
- Young adults are shopping drug stores most for relief
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- Figure 32: Pain reliever purchase location, by age, April 2017
- TENS devices have an online presence
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- Figure 33: TENS device purchase location, April 2017
Pain Self-assessment
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- For the most part pain occurs on occasion and is tolerable
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- Figure 34: Pain self-assessment, April 2017
- Most people describe pain as somewhere in the middle
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- Figure 35: Unbearable or tolerable pain self-assessment, by types of pain, April 2017
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- Figure 36: Constant or occasional pain self-assessment, by types of pain, April 2017
- The more types the less tolerable the pain
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- Figure 37: Unbearable or tolerable pain self-assessment, by repertoire of source of pain, April 2017
- Unbearable pain is more constant; tolerable pain is occasional
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- Figure 38: Unbearable or tolerable pain self-assessment, by occasional or constant pain self-assessment, April 2017
General Attitudes and Behaviors
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- People will seek out relief for the benefit of their health
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- Figure 39: General attitudes and behaviors, April 2017
- Natural and non-medicinal options could ease dependency concerns
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- Figure 40: General attitudes and behaviors, by gender and age, April 2017
- Those with unbearable, constant, long-term pain still seeking relief
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- Figure 41: General attitudes and behaviors, by pain self-assessments, April 2017
- The type of pain people experience dictates pain reliever use
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- Figure 42: Location of pain by general attitudes and behaviors, April 2017
Attitudes toward OTC Medications
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- Preparedness is the first defense in managing pain
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- Figure 43: Attitudes toward OTC medications, April 2017
- Those with enduring pain keep something on hand, but are less satisfied
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- Figure 44: Pain self-assessment, by Attitudes toward OTC medications, April 2016
- Older adults are habitual; young adults seek out value
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- Figure 45: Attitudes toward OTC medications, by gender and age, April 2017
- Women using feminine pain relievers agree less with the need
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- Figure 46: Feminine pain relievers work the same as any oral pain reliever, by age, April 2017
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 47: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2012-22
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, by segment, at current prices, 2012-22
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales of OTC analgesics and pain management devices, by channel, at current prices, 2012-17
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- Figure 50: MULO sales of electrotherapy devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 51: MULO sales of external analgesics, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
- Figure 52: MULO sales of muscle/body support devices, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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- Figure 53: MULO sales of ice/heat packs, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2016 and 2017
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 54: Profile of regular heat/ice pack pain reliever users, April 2017
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- Figure 55: Profile of regular muscle/body support pain reliever users, April 2017
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