Warner Lambert to extend Calpol offering

Warner Lambert is tipped to launch its children’s painkiller Calpol in individual doses – a move allowing the product to be sold in supermarkets and petrol forecourts.

The small dose for the children’s liquid analgesic means it qualifies for a GSL (general sales list) licence.

At the moment the product is only available in 70ml and 140ml bottles which, because of their large size, have to be sold under a “p” licence – that is, they have to be sold under the guidance of a pharmacist.

The new individual dose Calpol, to be sold in sachets, is expected to launch later this autumn.

Calpol has a 72 per cent share of the children’s analgesic market by value. However, rival manufacturer Reckitt & Colman is launching a liquid sacheted version of its Disprol paediatric medicine later this month and Galpharm has already launched Galpamol GSL children’s analgesic.

Warner Lambert marketing director David O’Sullivan refuses to confirm the launch of Calpol with a GSL licence.

But he says: “The GSL launch of Galpamol places enormous pressure on us to ensure Calpol’s position in the paediatric analgesic sector is not jeopardised.”

One observer says the wider availability of these medicines will suit emergency purchases.