PAGB, the consumer healthcare association

We are delighted to welcome Lizzie Ellis to the PAGB team as Media and Communications Manager (maternity cover). Lizzie has joined us from a health charity background, and will support the business and our members with media relations, marketing and brand activity over the next 12 months, as we continue to deliver our strategy and integrated communications. Please join us in sharing a warm welcome to Lizzie 👋

Today I had the pleasure of joining Daniel O'Connor and The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and their members for an engaging webinar about reclassification. I discussed the critical role that self-care and OTC medicines play in public health, as well as the strategic value of medicine reclassification in the UK, and the role that @PAGB is playing to progress the reclassification agenda. The webinar also explored why reclassification matters - not just for broadening access and addressing health inequalities, but also for supporting the commitments in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan and driving growth for OTC manufacturers. I shared insights on UK regulations, medicine switching criteria, and successful reclassification cases that have delivered meaningful public health benefits and helped shape the future of consumer healthcare. Thank you to the ABPI team for hosting. It was a great opportunity to foster collaboration by exchanging expertise and best practices on how to drive forward innovation to improve health outcomes across the sector. 

Calling all members 📢 don’t miss our upcoming ‘Making the most of your membership session’. 📅 Tuesday 28 April, 11am – 1pm 🏢 Join us at PAGB’s London office or join online This indispensable session is designed to help you fully leverage the many benefits of being a PAGB member. Come and meet the team and reignite your knowledge about our services and support. Whether you're a long-time member, new in your role at one of our existing member companies, or you have recently joined our membership, this session is will equip you with all the knowledge you need to make the most of your membership with PAGB. To sign up for your place, email membership@pagb.co.uk.

Yesterday, we held our quarterly Board meeting and Annual General Meeting at PAGB, the consumer healthcare association. I’d like to share my thanks to all member representatives for attending and contributing to a productive session. At the Board meeting, we reflected on the strong progress we’ve made so far in 2026 and sharpened our focus on the priorities that will drive delivery of our five-year strategy. We were also privileged to welcome David Simmons from the Department of Health and Social Care, who shared timely insights into DHSC’s evolving priorities — from medicines and supply to the delivery of commitments under the 10 Year Health Plan.   We were also joined by Bill Morgan from Newmarket Strategy, who shared some truly valuable insights into the current political landscape and its growing influence on the future of self-care. A particularly interesting takeaway was how collaboration between industry, policymakers, and healthcare providers will be critical in unlocking the full potential of self-care. As pressures on healthcare systems continue to rise, empowering individuals to take a more proactive role in managing their health is not just beneficial — it’s essential. Following the Board discussions, our Annual General Meeting provided an opportunity to showcase our achievements over 2025 and elect Officers to the Board for the upcoming year. Thank you again to everyone who contributed and all member representatives who joined us and helped shape such a thoughtful, forward-looking discussion. We look forward to building on this momentum, sharing further updates, and continuing our collaborative work.

🌟PAGB’s 2025 Highlights Report showcases consumer healthcare progress🌟   We’re delighted to announce the launch of our 2025 Highlights Report, which sets out PAGB’s key work across the last year on behalf of our members and the consumer healthcare industry - calling attention to a year of significant progress for widening access to self-care and OTC medicines!   From securing policy wins and amplifying members priorities to supporting the Government to understand the value and importance of the consumer healthcare sector, the report details the breakthroughs PAGB has made in the year: 🗣️ Influencing stakeholders and policy to understand the value of self-care �� Navigating regulatory complexities and challenges with expertise 📣 Promoting best practice to enable self-regulation Want to find out more? Read the full report here – https://lnkd.in/eb7ak2pw

🆕 We’re pleased to share that PAGB has launched brand NEW exclusive guidance to help our members review the compliance of food supplement formulations for the UK market. This newly published document provides a clear, structured framework for evaluating products across major ingredient categories—including vitamins and minerals, botanicals, other nutrients, and additives. It highlights key legal requirements and compositional standards you need to know, helping ensure your formulations meet current regulatory expectations. Are you a PAGB member and looking for clarity on key ingredient categories? Check out the details here: https://lnkd.in/eXH8u3Cs

Looking to broaden your connections, demonstrate your expertise and strengthen your industry credentials? 🚀   86% of PAGB members—representing nearly 90% of the branded OTC industry—say they prefer working with PAGB associate members as suppliers. A strong signal of the trust within our community!   Associate membership gives you direct access to PAGB’s regulatory and advertising expertise on behalf of PAGB members, alongside topline guidance on non-member products, member-only intelligence briefings, discounted training, opportunities to share thought leadership and involvement in industry working groups. We’ll also help you stay informed, credible and close to best practice across OTC medicines, medical devices and food supplements.   Find out more about how PAGB associate membership could support your organisation: https://lnkd.in/ekSkHjw6   Contact membership@pagb.co.uk to enquire today!

I was delighted to host a webinar for our PAGB, the consumer healthcare association members yesterday afternoon to share some exciting changes to our advertising approvals service that will be coming into effect from 1 April. In an engaging session, we were joined by over 70 member representatives to discuss how we’re changing the process for approving medicines advertising directed at consumers. Aiming to support our members to promote best practice and compliance whilst enabling self-regulation, the changes mean our members will only be required to submit key claims and content for PAGB approval and will be able to self-approve other low risk materials. We’ll be assisting our members to transition throughout 2026 so no need to worry if you've missed the news - PAGB will continue to support members in reviewing all advertising content as needed whilst the new process is established. Thank you to everyone who joined, and if you weren’t able to make it, you can look out for a recording of the webinar on our eLearning platform shortly!

We’re pleased to share that PAGB will be supporting the Pharmacy Business Conference as an associate partner again this year.   The conference this year is on the subject of ‘Reimagining Pharmacy: Delivering the Next Chapter’ - a forward-thinking event focused on the opportunities ahead for community pharmacy. As the healthcare landscape evolves, the event will explore new hybrid models of practice, innovative private clinical services, the growing role of pharmacy in supporting self-care, and how we must align with the NHS plan.    Amongst attendees will be pharmacy leaders, industry stakeholders, community pharmacy teams and association partners. The event will provide a brilliant opportunity to network, gain practical insights and share ideas about building a sustainable, integrated and patient-centred future for community pharmacy. For more information and to book your spot to attend visit: https://lnkd.in/eQZkticN 

Reclassification: a £1.4bn opportunity 💷 an enormous saving for UK healthcare which our CEO Michelle Riddalls OBE shines a spotlight on in a new blog post published for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The blog explores how reclassification can transform healthcare, access to medicines and enable growth. Looking at landmark OTC switches as examples, Michelle makes the case that reclassification has made trusted brands more accessible and achieved significant social progress through supporting conditions such as menopause and erectile dysfunction, with even wider potential for regulatory reform to improve health outcomes. She also emphasises the economic benefits, noting that just a 5% reduction in NHS prescribing could save £1.4bn annually and boost productivity for the UK economy by up to £18bn by enabling adults to work and miss fewer days through OTC symptom management. Collaboration is at the heart of progress, and it’s fantastic to work alongside the MHRA to share these insights and drive improvements. The blog makes clear that reclassification is not just a regulatory process but a cornerstone of a prevention-first healthcare model—empowering individuals, relieving NHS pressure, and fostering innovation. We look forward to continuing our work together in creating a regulatory environment that encourages growth and expands patient choice. Read Michelle’s blog here: https://lnkd.in/eGjehGYf