Experience of cough patients with an Althea officinalis cough syrup in Germany

Measuring the customer experience and satisfaction is the key factor to customer knowledge and understanding, especially in the area of non-prescription over-the-counter (OTC) medication. The experiences and needs of customers are the key resource for information. A cough syrup with aqueous extracts of Althea officinalis (STW42) has been available on the German market for more than 15 years. After a successful survey on consumer experience with a solid dosage form (lozenges) containing A. officinalis extract [1], the aim of this project is to collect data on the liquid syrup. Cough patients were recruited directly at the point of sale. If patients were willing to participate in the survey, a questionnaire for the acquisition of data was handed over by the pharmacist. The data collected were demographic data, usage patterns, customer recommendation and satisfaction, general assessment. Additionally, efficacy in treating cough and cough related symptoms as well as tolerability were evaluated. Acceptance of the survey by the pharmacists was good: Patients were recruited in 290 German pharmacies during the cough and cold season 2015/2016. More than 400 patients returned the questionnaire. More than 90% of the patients complained about cough during daily life and work. Most patients (more than 45%) started the cough therapy after 2 days of cough duration. Nearly 44% of the patients were repurchasers and 68% used the A. officinalis extract as only medication to treat the cough. These data reveal a good acceptance of the A. officinalis cough syrup (STW42). Furthermore, a pharmacy survey turns out to be a suitable tool for gaining important insight in customer experience on OTC products.

Keywords: Cough, cough syrup, Althea officinalis, consumer experience.

References:

[1] Rabini S, Fink C, Kelber O, Vinson B. Consumer experience with a solid extract preparation of Althaea officinalis. Planta Med 2015; 81:1424