Date

Vol.

No.

Switch Forecast

Switch Scene

Dec ’96/
Jan ’97

3

6

Predicting Future Switches is Tricky but Getting Easier, Predicting Marketing Success is Another Matter — The Importance of Knowing the Switches to the Year 2000: Future Switches Will Be Fewer But Likely Category Busters

Switch Year 1996: Good Progress But No Surprises. Special Report: All the Major Switches of 1996

Feb ’97

3

7

OTC Allergy Marketers Switch and “Spray” Into the US OTC Market - First Comes Cromolyn, Then Comes Beclomethasone, Consumers Win as Companies Fight for Market

An Exciting New Era Emerges in Rx-to-OTC Switches: “The Age of Self-Recognition”.
Special Report: Points to Consider in Assessing OTCness of Switch Candidates for Chronic and/or Recurrent Conditions

Mar ’97

3

8

Diagnostic Test Kits Will Create New Switch Opportunities to Prevent Deadly “Genericide” — Could Cholestyramine Have Been Saved?

Australian Switch Status: Slow But Steady — Antiquated S3 Status Rules Create Product “Black Hole.”
Two Special Reports: The Last 10 Years of Australian Switches and Selected “OTCable” Diagnostic Test Kit Categories

Apr ’97

3

9

Jun/Jul ’97

4

1

The Good, The Bad…and the Ugly…SWITCH Predicts: Interesting New Dermatologicals Are Attractive Switch Candidates

A New OTC Paradigm Emerges: “OTCness” Link to Monitoring and Compliance — When Will the Anti-Cholesterol Indication Go OTC?
Special Report: All the Major Switches So Far in 1997
SWITCH Country Update: UK and Germany

Aug ’97

4

2

The Explosion in US Direct-to-Consumer Ads Continues But a New Strategy Emerges — Managed Care Puts Even More Pressure on Doctors, Ad Spending Will Double

Building Expertise into Marketing an Rx-to-OTC Switch — The Attitudes Between Manufacturers & Outside Sources Can Be Decisive.
SWITCH Country Update: Japan’s Coming OTC H2 Indigestion.
Special Report: Top 25 US Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Rx Products — Their 1996 Spending

Sept ’97

4

3

Are Reverse Switches the Result of a Too Hasty Switch? — Look to Improved Technology, Politics and Simple Bad Luck as the Likely Answer Now and in the Future

The Power of Market Protection — Part One — Patent Expiration Looms on Many Important Drugs
Special Reports: Legal Classification of Non-Sedating Antihistamines in 12 Countries and Patent Expiration Dates for the Top 25 Prescription Drugs in the World.

Oct ’97

4

4

The Perverse Logic of DSHEA: Safe Until Proven Dangerous — Market Chaos Will Continue Until a Disaster Occurs

The Power of Market Protection — Part Two — Patent Expiration Looms on Many Important Drugs
Special Report: Rx/OTC Drugs & Herbal Treatments

Nov ’97

4

5

Boards of Health Can Be Political Animals Too. Has the Potential OTC Indication for Cholesterol Been Derailed?

As of Today, Most Rx-to-OTC Switches Fail to Deliver a Profit! Why, what has happened to cause this & what can you do about it?
Special Report: Major Global Cholesterol and Osteoporosis Medications that Could Switch Down the Road.