DOYLESTOWN, PA (November 1, 2005) -
Seniors aged 65 and older are the leading consumers of over-the-counter (OTC)
and prescription (Rx) medicines so a new public awareness campaign aims to
educate this community about proper use of these drugs. "Seniors and
Medicine: Proper Use for Good Health" is an education initiative from the
National Council on the Aging (NCOA) and The Quigley Corporation (Nasdaq: QGLY)
that launches this month with a series of seminars at senior centers across the
country. The goal of the campaign is to educate seniors about drug interactions
and possible side effects of the most popular OTC remedies.
A staggering number of seniors, 243,000, end up in the hospital each year due
to detrimental reactions caused by the combination of OTC and Rx medicines. It
is essential for seniors to be aware of how different medicines interact with
one another, as well as their impact on a variety of medical conditions.
Further, an increasing number of prescription medicines are gaining OTC status
resulting in a delay in patients seeking medical consultation for potentially
serious conditions. "Seniors and Medicine: Proper Use for Good
Health" is designed to make people ages 65 and older aware of such factors
while also providing proper safety education.
"With more than 36 million Americans age 65 and over, we feel it is
imperative to educate seniors about the possible side effects that can occur by
mixing prescribed and over-the- counter medicines," said James P. Firman,
president and CEO of NCOA. "The campaign will not only provide this type
of information, but will also leave older Americans with resources they can
refer to daily with questions."
Along with the seminars, the campaign will include an interactive web site and
helpful materials for distribution. The first of the seminars will take place
in New York City on November 15 at The Burden Center. Serving as the program's
spokesperson will be Dr. Michael Freedman, Director, Division of Geriatrics at
both New York University Medical Center and Bellevue Hospital Center as well as
the Director at The Diane and Arthur Belfer Geriatric Center.
"Forty percent of all over-the-counter medicines are purchased by the
senior community, so in our continuing search to meet the needs of our
consumers, we at The Quigley Corporation conducted a safety study on our line
of cold remedies," said Guy Quigley, president and CEO of The Quigley
Corporation. "The results led us to partner with the NCOA on this
campaign, and we are confident it will make a huge difference in people's
lives."
About NCOA
Founded in 1950, The National Council on the Aging is a national network of
organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the health and
independence of older persons, and to increasing their continuing contributions
to communities, society and future generations. For more information on NCOA,
visit www.ncoa.org. The NCOA president and CEO is James Firman.
About The Quigley Corporation
The Quigley Corporation (Nasdaq: QGLY, http://www.Quigleyco.com) is a
diversified natural health medical science company. Its Cold Remedy segment is
a leading marketer and manufacturer of lozenges, gums and sugar free tablets
clinically proven to cut the common cold nearly in half. Its customers include
leading national wholesalers and distributors, as well as independent and chain
food, drug and mass merchandise stores and pharmacies. The Quigley Corporation
has four (4) wholly owned subsidiaries. Darius International markets health and
wellness products through its wholly owned subsidiary, InnerLight Inc. Quigley
Manufacturing Inc. consists of two FDA approved facilities to manufacture
lozenges as well as fulfill other contract manufacturing opportunities. Quigley
Pharma Inc. (http://www.QuigleyPharma.com) conducts research in order to
develop and commercialize a pipeline of patented botanical and naturally
derived prescription drugs.
