Hungary makes OTC vitamins more available
over-the-counter drugs including high-dose vitamins that can now be
sold in the country's supermarkets and petrol stations, where
previously they were available only in pharmacies.
A spokesperson for the Ministry told NutraIngredients.com that Hungary considers products containing less that the recommended daily amount of a vitamin per serving as food supplements, and these have been available in retail outlets for several years. But products exceeding the RDA per serving fall under OTC medicinal product regulations.
The move could further spur the already dominant segment of the OTC market - although with EU-wide maximum levels of vitamins and minerals currently being drawn up as part of the 2002 food supplements directive there are likely to be new twists in product availability in Hungary - and indeed all member states - in the coming years.
According to a report published by Euromonitor International in June 2006, vitamins and dietary supplements accounted for 25 per cent of the total OTC market value by the end of the review period. OTC vitamins alone were said to be worth €23.2m in 2006, with a forecasted value of €27.1m by 2010.
The market researcher said that vitamins and supplements are the most advertised of all OTC medicines, and the products occupying the top spots on popularity are from a mix of multinational (Wyeth, Bayer) and local (Béres, Pharmavit) companies.
Other products included in the list of OTC products to be more widely available in Hungary include pain-killers, antihistamines, eye drops and nasal sprays.
