Pharmaceutical Companies Becoming More Ab/Dl Aware?

[Yvhuce]

I've noticed that the are commercials for gummie and "bubble gum" style vitamins and grape-flavored cough syrup for adults. I walked into the local Dollar General and found that they've got an orange flavor cough syrup for sale, as well as a cherry flavor. And when I went in to refill my medication at the local pharmacy, I noticed that they've got a sign taped to the front of the register reminding patients that they can have their prescription medications flavored. I'm not goinna go so far as to say that this is all aimed at the AB/DL market. But, but it does seem to be that they're at least marketing to the "inner child" concept. Any other thoughts or insights on the subject?

[Jabez]

Perhaps the pharmaceutical companies are realizing that adults don't necessarily like having to "suck it up and deal with it". Not to mention, the more choices a company has available, the more customers they are going to have.

[timmyc]

I've noticed that the are commercials for gummie and "bubble gum" style vitamins and grape-flavored cough syrup for adults. I walked into the local Dollar General and found that they've got an orange flavor cough syrup for sale, as well as a cherry flavor. And when I went in to refill my medication at the local pharmacy, I noticed that they've got a sign taped to the front of the register reminding patients that they can have their prescription medications flavored. I'm not goinna go so far as to say that this is all aimed at the AB/DL market. But, but it does seem to be that they're at least marketing to the "inner child" concept. Any other thoughts or insights on the subject?

[Dubious]

i got gummy bear vitamins

[sarah_ab]

every try to get a sick boyfriend to take nyquil? they will bitch and moan about how they don't like the taste of it forever!!!! and then not take it...

i have the taste of most cough syrups... so i like that i cna get it flavoured.. not sure this has anything to do with catering to an inner child at all, but as was said, realizing, just because we are adults, doesn't mean we should have to have the nasty tasting stuff.

[Mischa]

just give him a jagie bomb spiked with robitussin! He won't know the difference!

[babykeiff]

As the medical field improves, so does the quality of medication, and the ability to flavor it. This concept - flavoring medication was tried in the 1950s, but research showed that the medicinal functionality of the medication was diminished by the sweet / pleasant flavors. That is adults preferred to have their medication vile tasting as it told them that the medication was working. This psychological analysis has been proven incorrect, as long as the patient trusts the person / company dispensing the medication.

The current belief is that is the medication is 'old and trusted, it must taste vile' or 'new and radical, if can be pleasant tasting'. Pharmaceutical companies have been exploiting this 'illusion' for years, by making less potent versions of a medication and increasing the 'medical taste' strength.

Currently, the effectiveness of flavored medication to non-flavored medication is open to debate, but repeat medication - ie for a disease that you had as a child returning as an adult, and taking the same medication, the only way this works is IF the repeat medication is the same flavor as the original. I mean by 'works' is that the body accepts the medication as medicine, and not just another 'smartie' etc.

[Dougie]

Maybe they figured out that people of all ages will be more likely to use their medicine if it doesn't taste like crap.

[timmyc]

I don't get sick very often but when I do I would rather slam some Nyquill or Alka Seltzer Plus regardless of how nasty it is than to stay sick feeling. The flavored stuff is still pretty nasty but maybe a little easier to swallow.