P-A JOINING APhA AS CO-SPONSOR OF OTC PRODUCT MARKETING PROGRAM
Executive Summary
P-A JOINING APhA AS CO-SPONSOR OF OTC PRODUCT MARKETING PROGRAM at the pharmacy assn.'s annual meeting set for Feb. 16-21 in San Antonio. In an Aug. 30 speech to the Florida Pharmacy Assn. meeting, APhA President Jack Schlegel said that P-A is assisting in the presentation of a program entitled "Marketing Your Non-Rx Dept." which can be used by pharmacists as a "tool" to help "adapt to change." Schlegel told the Florida pharmacists that the P-A/APhA marketing program on OTCs "will make the case for treating your non-Rx drug dept. more like your Rx dept. rather than just another up-front merchandise section." Representatives from several whslr. firms that offer OTC marketing assistance to their pharmacy customers will conduct workshops at the session, Schlegel said, adding: "In other words, it's going to be a 'how to' program." The cooperation on the annual meeting program is another indication that APhA and P-A are smoothing over the rift that developed between the two assns. this year over the Rx-to-OTC switch trend and the restricted OTC drug sales issue. The first sign of a rapprochement came on Aug. 10 when Schlegel paid a get-acquainted visit to P-A President Jim Cope.