Obesity market grows – waistlines continue to expand March 25, 2008

 Working in the healthcare publishing industry, it is important to be abreast of developing trends in the pharmaceutical market. The research firm Decision Resources recently reported that the market for obesity drugs will grow five-fold — to $2.7 billion — by 2016 (http://www.mmm-online.com/Obesity-market-set-for-explosive-growth-says-report/article/108301/). Growth is predicted to be most rapid in the US, but is also projected in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Japan.

The growth in the market is of course a direct result of new drugs being developed. In fact, the report predicts that 80% of the market will switch to using these new therapies, including Arena Pharmaceuticals’ lorcaserin and Amylin’s pramlintide/leptin combo.

“Given the high prevalence of obesity in the world’s major pharmaceutical markets, the opportunity for agents that fulfill the need for safe, effective and well-tolerated weight loss therapies is significant,” said Donny Wong, PhD., principal analyst at Decision Resources. Everyone is always going to be looking for a quick fix, be it for weight loss, clearing their skin, or changing a light bulb. But healthy, maintainable weight loss will never be achieved through these means. Instead I think we need to pay attention to the simple equation: eat less + exercise more = weigh less. We no doubt face obstacles — mainly the increasingly stressed out, sedentary US lifestyle and the abundance of cheap, high-calorie foods — but with education and dedication we may be able to see a more long-term effect.

When is organic not (really) organic? March 18, 2008

According to the USDA, only foods and products with 95% organic ingredients can be labeled “organic”, while those made with 70% organic ingredients must be labeled “made with organic.” According to Joan Shaeffer, spokeswoman for the USDA, “If any product meets the USDA organic standards for production, handling and labeling, then it is eligible for USDA organic certification.”

Thedailygreen (http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/oasis-organic-label-47031704) reported on Monday that the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is protesting a new label being placed on personal care products in accordance with the Organic and Sustainable Beauty Standards (OASIS). Developed by major industry players (EsteeLauder, Aveda, L’Oreal, and Hain), the OCA says that OASIS:

allows a product to be labeled outright as “Organic” (rather than “Made with Organic Specified Ingredients”) even if it contains hydrogenated and sulfated cleansing ingredients like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate made from conventional agricultural material grown with synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, and preserved with synthetic petrochemical preservatives like Ethylhexylglycerin and Phenoxyethanol.

The label is deceptive to consumers who are already being swayed by product marketers who greenwash them into thinking that “natural” or “green” products are safer and more effective than their equally chemically-laden counterparts. The USDA has been certifying organic personal care products for the past four years and today, according to the OCA, “there are more genuinely organic products on the market bearing the ‘USDA Organic’ seal on the front label than ever before.”