The focus on self-care is a critical step towards sustainable, accessible health solutions for all, says Filippo Lanzi, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and LatAm region, Haleon.
The industry veteran underlined the need to explore how self-care is transforming the healthcare industry and the role of Haleon in empowering individuals and health systems.
Lanzi is a member of the Haleon Executive Team (HET) as the President of the EMEA and and Latin America (LatAm) region. With his visionary approach towards self-care and wealth of experience, he oversees the strategic direction and operational execution across critical regions, driving growth and innovation for Haleon.
Following Covid-19, self-care has emerged as a vital component of healthcare. Can you elaborate on this shifting trend?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines self-care as "the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker."
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the significance of self-care has been magnified, highlighting its integral position within the continuum of healthcare. As healthcare systems worldwide face unparalleled stress, the principles of people-centred healthcare and patient empowerment have emerged as vital pathways for individuals to engage proactively in their health management.
The self-care socio-economic research conducted by the Self-Care Federation within the MENA region reveals that self-care plays a crucial role in reducing the burden on medical services, especially where healthcare resources are scarce. Pharmacists often become the frontline advisors for patients, with visits to physicians for conditions that could be self-managed occurring only between 10-30 per cent of the time. This significant shift opens up opportunities for the healthcare industry to innovate and meet the growing demand, particularly in the domain of over-the-counter (OTC) products. OTC medicines, being both affordable and accessible, serve as a crucial element in alleviating pressure on global public health systems.
How does the strategic rebranding from GSK Consumer Healthcare to Haleon and its focus on self-care practices, reflect broader shifts in the industry?
Haleon's mission is anchored in the widespread adoption of self-care practices. Our transition to Haleon from GSK Consumer Healthcare comes at a time when 79 per cent of consumers recognise the importance of personalised health and wellness. In July 2022, Haleon demerged from GSK to become an independent consumer healthcare company. "Haleon" is a combination of two words; "hale," symbolising sound health, and "eon," indicating longevity and sustainability. We are a world-leading consumer health company that aims to deliver better everyday health to humanity. As a self-care-focused organisation, we have leading brands built on trusted science, innovation and human understanding and are trusted by millions of consumers globally.
Haleon is headquartered in the UK, employing approximately 24,000 people globally. We have five brand categories, oral health; vitamins, minerals and supplement (VMS); pain, respiratory, digestive and others.
Our movement towards self-care not only champions the idea of individual accountability for health but also actively contributes to easing the load on healthcare infrastructures. By advocating and facilitating self-care, Haleon stands at the forefront of a shift towards a future where healthcare is more accessible, effective, and sustainable for all.
This year in April, our legal entity name change took place for Gulf & Near East (GNE) Markets and very soon you will see Haleon logo on our products in the market. In GNE, we are leading with household brands like Panadol, Sensodyne, Parodontax and Centrum.
Can you elaborate on some of the barriers to self-care?
Adoption of self-care is linked to health literacy, which can be defined as the knowledge, motivation, and competencies of people to access, understand, appraise, and apply information to manage health in everyday life regarding health care. In addition, there is low focus and ultimately limited investment in the prevention of health conditions, which can largely be avoided.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the spending on preventative care and disease prevention averages at around 2.7 per cent of their members' total healthcare expenditure.
Lastly, there is an urgent need for policymakers and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to commit to establishing self-care as a policy priority. This will incentivise regulatory reforms and allow HCPs to dedicate more time to those most in need. By empowering pharmacists, who stand as the most accessible health professionals, we enable them to deliver evidence-based, precise, and readily available self-care information to individuals. This empowerment supports people in making knowledgeable and informed decisions regarding their health.
How does Haleon's strategic direction intersect with the potential economic and quality of life benefits in the MEA region?
Haleon's strategy is expected to resonate deeply within the consumer healthcare market. Insights suggest significant economic benefits in the MENA region, where improved self-care is projected to gain nearly 2 million quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), over 4.5 billion productive days, and a welfare increase of over $86 billion.
Moreover, healthcare system costs and national budgets can be impacted by significant savings in healthcare professional (HCP) time and prescription costs, by making non-prescription medicines and other consumer health products available to consumers. Globally, self-care interventions are currently saving $119 billion in cost containment and $1.9trillion in welfare spending.
As the global population is anticipated to reach an additional two billion by 2050, mainly in developing countries, the demand for consumer healthcare is set to rise. With this increasing strain on health systems, the focus on self-care could be a critical step towards sustainable, accessible health solutions for all.