Haleon

No health without oral health: New report sheds light on the true impact of oral disease

The Oral Health Foundation is supporting calls for multi-pronged approach to improve global oral health, following the release of a new report.

‘Time to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Addressing Inequalities in Oral Health’ looks at the urgent need for better alignment between policy, public health initiatives, payment systems, and clinical practice, to address the pressing challenges facing oral health.

Published by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), in collaboration with Economist Impact, the report investigates periodontitis and caries, offering a holistic perspective on the global prevalence of oral diseases and the urgent need to address existing inequalities.

One of the major findings shows oral health is largely excluded amongst NCDs, despite a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) resolution urging oral care integration into wider healthcare.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Oral Health Foundation, was part of the editorial team for the report and believes the shift in understanding oral diseases as preventable non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is crucial.

Dr Carter says: “It’s disheartening that mainstream NCD discussions often overlook oral health despite the 2021 WHO Resolution. Neglecting the impact of oral health and its shared risk factors with other NCDs is a missed opportunity for comprehensive healthcare planning.

“Urgent action is needed to boost public awareness on the relationship between oral health and overall well-being. A vital step for a healthier society.”

The report, which was supported by Haleon, also identifies several barriers towards implementing effective preventive measures. These included a lack of political will for water fluoridation, varying sugar tax success, and pandemic-related disruptions to school-based programmes.

“Preventive measures are crucial for reducing oral diseases, yet formidable barriers persist,” adds Dr Carter. “The urgent need for community support is clear. The public, clinicians, and campaigners must intensify pressure on policymakers to overcome challenges like political reluctance, geographical complexities, and industry opposition. Emphasising community water fluoridation, sugar taxes, and robust education programmes is vital for a global shift towards improved oral health.”

Presented on Tuesday by the EFP in Brussels, the report also expressed concerns that clinical care for dental caries remains largely focused on a “repair approach”.

Analysis found that decades of oral care focus has been placed on reactive, not preventive, measures. It also revealed limited preventive training and inadequate incentives for health professionals.

Dr Carter says: “The core issue in the UK lies in an unfit dental contract solely focused on UDAs, sidelining preventive care. Urgent reforms are essential, emphasising the need to expand the oral health workforce and implement robust payment incentives that prioritise and reward preventive measures.”

The report also laid bare the economic burden of oral disease. Direct global treatment costs due to the three most common oral conditions (caries, severe periodontitis, and severe tooth loss) were estimated at £285 billion yearly, representing around 5% of worldwide health expenditure. The indirect costs due to loss of productivity was estimated at roughly £150 billion.

Dr Paula Vassallo, President of the European Association of Dental Public Health, looks at the bigger picture when it comes to the economic burden and potential opportunity to improve population health and save finite resources for the health system.

Dr Vassallo says: “Oral health is like the canary in the coal mine. If an individual has oral health problems, what is going to be the cost of all the additional factors? Not only the economic burden in terms of absenteeism and presenteeism from work, but also other NCDs.”

The UK was given the unwanted position of being the country with the highest per-person cost for treating dental caries – amounting to £18,000 per-person. This cost jumped to around £23,000 for more deprived people, who face disproportionate economic burden due to limited treatment options.

Economist Impact modelled the cost savings associated with preventive strategies. They found that implementing preventive interventions could reduce caries rates by as much as 30% while substantially cutting costs.

“Targeted preventive management is crucial across the entire population, but it will undoubtedly have a greater impact for addressing socioeconomic disparities,” adds Dr Carter. “There must be a firm commitment from government to level-up oral health and narrow the gap between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups.”

Read the full report: ‘Time to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Addressing Inequalities in Oral Health’.

New research from Aquafresh outlines children’s oral health concerns

Over two fifths (41%) of children have missed one or more days of school due to oral hygiene concerns or treatment,[1] according to new research from Aquafresh – the UK’s number one toothpaste brand for children.[2] Commissioned as part of the brand’s Shine Bright campaign, the survey highlights that there is still a need for the industry to be providing better oral health education for children, as 65% of teachers believe a lack of knowledge about oral care has led to children in their school having poor dental hygiene.[3]

The dental industry is already experiencing many challenges, as seen through the British Dental Association reporting that the ongoing access problems to high street dentistry have escalated, with unmet need for dentistry now standing at 12 million patients.[4] Despite the majority of parents (82%) taking their children to dentist once or more a year,[5] parents are seeking further support to maintain their children’s oral health. To help relieve some this pressure and provide much needed support, Aquafresh has brought back it’s Shine Bright Academy for the sixth year, with its schools’ programme offering resources and oral health education to children in schools most in need.

Dr Kate Fabrikant, Medical Lead Northern Europe at Haleon said: “We’re proud to be relaunching our Aquafresh Shine Bright campaign for the sixth year running, raising awareness of the importance of starting a good oral healthcare routine from a young age. As a brand, we want to ensure that all children and families have access to oral health education, and this new research highlights the pivotal role educational institutions and healthcare professionals have in driving this forward. However, 22% of parents feel that more support is needed from dentists, and teachers alike (27%), to educate their children about oral hygiene.[6]

“37% of teachers also site lack of support with syllabus as a barrier when trying to teach about oral hygiene.[7] Oral health brands, such as Aquafresh, can therefore help to bridge the gap by equipping parents and teachers with the best advice on how to help their children and students to develop and maintain good oral health routines.”

In 2023, Aquafresh donated 10,000 toothbrushes to the Dental Wellness Trust, which promotes oral health among children. The Aquafresh Shine Bright Academy schools programme is available to all schools in the UK and Ireland, offering engaging lesson plans, activity packs and a competition to drive oral care education and engagement in the school setting.

The full range of Aquafresh Kids’ toothpaste can be viewed on our Haleon Health Partner Portal, along with resources on how best to support patients. 

References:

[1] Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers – sample comprised 1,001 parents of primary school children (4-11), August 2023.

[2] ©2022 NielsenIQ data, value, units, Kids Toothpaste, 52 w/e 05/11/22 in Great Britain Total Coverage. For verification, please contact mystory.gb@haleon.com

[3] Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers – sample comprised 500 primary school teachers.

[4] https://bda.org/news-centre/press-releases/Pages/Dentists-Access-crisis-piling-pressure-across-NHS.aspx

[5] Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers – sample comprised 1,001 parents of primary school children (4-11), August 2023 – Question 4 (43% once a year, 39% more than once a year)

[6] Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers – sample comprised 1,001 parents of primary school children (4-11), August 2023 – Question 9

[7] Research carried out online by Research Without Barriers – sample comprised 500 primary school teachers of primary school children (4-11)August 2023- Question 9

New research reveals the missed opportunity of preventative oral care in UK dentistry

Haleon, a world leading consumer health company, together with the College of General Dentistry, the standard-setting professional body for dental health professionals, have launched the Dental Health Barometer, which provides deep insights into the role of preventative oral healthcare in the UK.

Preventative care is defined as proactive dental care and advice that helps a patient to take action to maintain a healthy mouth, protecting against tooth decay, gum disease and more serious issues such as tooth loss and negative impacts on general health.

Yet, the survey of UK consumers and dental health professionals reveals that preventative oral care advice is not being offered consistently to patients. That’s despite a high incidence of tooth decay – with 70,000 people treated in UK emergency departments for the disease last year alone[1]. Just one third (34%) of oral health professionals said they always offer preventative care advice to patients, while one in four (25%) patients said they weren’t given preventative advice during their last dental appointment.

Over half (59%) of oral health professionals said that they are more likely to offer preventative advice for private patients than NHS patients, and over a third (37%) of NHS oral health professionals cited time constraints as the top reason for not being able to routinely offer preventative care advice, as opposed to just 15% of private oral health professionals. Though we know oral health professionals are working hard during a time of unprecedented pressure on the UK dental landscape, these figures come as little surprise given the widely reported ‘dental deserts’ where some areas of the UK have over 3,000 patients for every NHS dentist[2].

Additionally, oral health professionals differed on the preventative advice they would recommend to patients. While half (50%) said advice on additional oral hygiene products and brushing techniques were key, only 2 in 5 (41%) pointed to advice on diet as preventative care and just over a third (34%) would consider advice on caring for gums to be preventative advice.

Bas Vorsteveld, General Manager GBI, Haleon, said: “We know that oral health professionals are facing huge pressures, and we want to help support them to be able to provide better preventative advice – not just during routine dental appointments, but outside of appointments too. Our findings revealed preventative care advice is not always offered consistently, despite patients and dentists understanding its importance. We remain committed to addressing these issues and will look to develop new initiatives to support dental professionals.

These will form alongside our existing initiatives which include providing educational materials to Healthcare Professionals, continuing to innovate and provide therapeutic oral care for patient issues at home and through campaigns like Shine Bright which raises awareness in children of the prevention of oral health conditions.”

The importance of preventative care

Nearly half (49%) of the UK public think preventative care for oral health is very important with over half (54%) of consumers saying they would prefer to receive preventative care advice for their oral health from their dentist. Meanwhile, the majority (87%) of oral health professionals think that preventative action is beneficial and aim to provide it proactively.

Confusion over the availability of preventative care on the NHS

However, there is a lack of understanding across consumers and oral health professionals over whether preventative care is routinely available on the NHS. Almost half (48%) of consumers said preventative oral healthcare advice is offered on the NHS, and over a third (34%) were unsure. Oral health professionals were more aware, with 74% saying preventative oral healthcare advice is offered on the NHS. Once again, younger dentists are more aware that preventative care advice should be routinely available on the NHS.

The importance of preventative care has already been acknowledged by the Department of Health, through the roll out of the Delivering Better Oral Health toolkit, which was updated in 2021. This aims to provide best practice guidance on routine preventative care. It is encouraging that over a quarter (76%) of oral health professionals surveyed were aware of this toolkit. Younger dentists are more likely to be aware of it, with 82% aged 23-34 were aware compared to 58% of dental health professionals aged 45 – 54.

Dr. Kate Fabrikant, Medical Affairs Director, Northern Europe, Haleon, further supports this: “Working in the industry, we must find ways to support the availability and accessibility of preventative oral care for all. We will continue to support dental professionals in facilitating behavioural change towards better oral health in their patients, whilst improving health literacy of the patients to seek out and engage in preventative care, to help them practice better everyday self-care and avoid longer term dental issues.  There is a long road to travel to normalise healthy smiles in society, and it will take professionals, industry and policy makers coming together to get to this end goal.”

Consumers are open to preventative advice, but guidance is needed

The study found patients have a strong level of trust in advice given by their dentist. Where it is offered, 9 in 10 (88%) found the advice helpful. The study found that NHS patients, younger people and men were less likely to proactive ask for preventative care advice.

Dr Abhi Pal, President at the College of General Dentistry said: “We are committed to quality and standards of excellence in general practice dentistry – helping professionals to do the best for their patients. The research revealed some fascinating insights into the role that preventative care plays in the UK. It’s quite properly a mainstay of both private and NHS appointments, and we support any initiative that promotes prevention.”

Regional Split

The Barometer also found that there were regional discrepancies between both patients and oral health professionals. It was found that:

  • Only 40% of consumer respondents from Greater London think that preventative care is very important for oral health compared to over half (55%) in Northern Ireland and South West England.
  • Respondents from Greater London also were less likely to have received advice, with only 37% having encountered preventative care advice compared to over half of respondents (55%) in the South East and nearly half (47%) in the North East.
  • Over half (55%) of respondents in Wales said thinking back to their most recent trip to an oral health professional, they received preventative care advice verbally from them,
    • compared to 50% of those in Scotland,
    • 48% of those in England,
    • And under 2 in 5 (37%) in Northern Ireland
  • Northern Ireland have recalled a particularly low level of preventative care during dentist visits – with only slightly over a third of respondents (37%) having received advise at their last appointment. Despite this, the respondents from the region were some of the most interested in learning about preventative advice (53%) compared to (36%) of East England, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber who were less interested.
  • The East of England saw the lowest level of detail from their oral health professional on preventative care advice, with only 30% feeling their dentist provided a lot of detail.

References:

[1] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/10/23/tooth-decay-patients-ae-nhs-dentist-shortage/

[2] https://www.libdems.org.uk/press/release/rise-in-dental-deserts-leaves-millions-struggling-to-get-nhs-dentist-appointment

New study reveals half of adults are suffering the pain of tooth sensitivity

A new study across seven European countries revealed that dentine hypersensitivity is far more widespread than previously thought[i]. The new observational, multi-centre epidemiological study assessed over 3,500 adults. It found over half of the study participants suffered from dentine hypersensitivity[ii].

The study, which was carried out by seven European universities[iii] and was funded by Haleon, aimed to determine the prevalence of dentine hypersensitivity and the risk factors associated with these conditions in adults aged 18 and over in the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland.

Along with the surprisingly high level of incidence, dentine hypersensitivity was revealed to be highly prevalent across all countries in the study and 98% of people showed signs of dental erosion, meaning this will only be an increasing trend in the years to come, unless we act now.

  • Due to the prevalence findings and lack of progress to both reduce and help prevent these conditions, Haleon continue to be committed to support dental health professionals via training and education, providing tools and techniques, via Haleon Health Partner, that facilitate better patient management and understanding between patients and dentists. Now is the time to close the gap to ultimately improve oral health outcomes and reduce the number of people suffering from dentine hypersensitivity.
  • The study also revealed that sensitivity was seen across all age groups but peaked between the ages of 38 to 47 and more commonly affected females, with 56% experiencing it compared to 50% of men. Most sufferers had been experiencing sensitivity for over 2 years, most triggered by cold food or drink, but the study found that only approximately 50% of adults may be treating the condition[iv].

Study author Professor Nicola West from University of Bristol, commented: “This 10-year follow on study has surprisingly shown that sensitivity is increasing. Dentine hypersensitivity is a major issue across all the countries who participated, with the associated pain negatively impacting quality of life. Sensitivity was also associated with other clinical conditions including gingival recession and erosive tooth wear of the tooth enamel. Despite advances in understanding over the last ten years, it is clear from the study that oral health outcomes for dentine hypersensitivity and toothwear are not improving and this is concerning. People need to know about the condition and its impact.”

Dr Stephen Mason, Category Medical Lead, Oral Health, Haleon commented: “One of our key objectives is to expand understanding of the impact of oral health conditions. Studies like this help to fill knowledge gaps and champion additional oral health interventions that can be incorporated into wider prevention programmes.

“Dentine hypersensitivity is an important area to explore as the condition can have a significant impact on quality of life. Once the dentine is exposed, the tubules may encounter stimuli such as hot, cold, sweet, and citric foods and drinks, causing an immediate sharp and uncomfortable pain to arise. Many of those who experience this pain often adopt different coping habits from avoiding trigger foods to compromising on their eating habits and social life, limiting their enjoyment and diminishing their quality of life. Despite the significant impact on quality of life, it’s surprising to see that the prevalence of the condition has increased, indicating more needs to be done to help treat patients.”

To find out more about CPD support, webinars, and educational materials on oral health visit www.haleonhealthpartner.com.

References:

[i] Zeola FL, et al Prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity: Systematic review and meta-analysis, 2019; Journal of Dentistry Vol 81. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2018.12.015.

[ii] Proportion of participants with whole-mouth max Schiff score 0, 1, 2, 3 Schiff Air Sensitivity Scale (Schiff et al 1994,1996)

[iii] University of Bristol, University of Madrid, University of Bern, University of Bonn, University of Pisa, University of Porto, University of Cork.

[iv] Haleon data on file. 2023.

Winners of EFP Innovation Award 2023 for Digital Solutions announced

Fostering innovation in the area of digital solutions that contribute to improve gum health for all is the purpose of the EFP Innovation Award for Digital Solutions for Gum Health. The EFP (European Federation of Periodontology) has announced the winners in France, Switzerland and the UK of the 2023 edition of these prizes, awarded annually with the support of EFP partner Haleon.

First prize was given to “My Perio Care” by Claire Bigot from the Paris Cité University. Her application addresses both patients and dentists’ unmet needs to better manage periodontal care, including everything from from primary prevention to disease therapy

My Perio Care helps oral health professionals diagnose gum disease according to a set of parameters, so they can prescribe the app to their patients in order to provide them with personalised services such as specific care information, oral health education, follow-up of their periodontal parameters, and even tele-consultation if necessary. Throughout treatment, monitoring is personalised and non-intrusive.

Second prize went to the project !my.periodontal-health.com” presented by Christoph Ramseier from the University of Bern. Developed in collaboration with Ukraine- based IT professionals, this tool supports personalised periodontal care and allows clinicians and patients to transfer clinical data from other perio technologies such as www.periotools.com. This way, it helps patients to achieve and maintain periodontal stability during supportive periodontal care – for example, they can receive email reminders about upcoming visits to the clinic, or get an estimation of the healthcare costs that they have saving by regularly attending their appointments.

Third prize was awarded to “Digital technology monitored and controlled oral endotoxin activity levels for personalised primary and secondary prevention of gum diseases and
related systemic complications,” developed by Svetislav Zaric from the King’s CollegeLondon. It consisted of two rapid and reliable tests based on oral bacterial endotoxin profile: a subgingival plaque test to be performed by dental professionals for personalised, site-specific management of patient’s gum health conditions, and a salivary self-test for the wider public to be performed at home, for early detection and prevention of gum disease before significant tissue destruction occurs.

“The EFP is happy to reward innovative work to support clinicians, and to boost periodontal health for the benefit of our patients and society at large,” says Andreas Stavropoulos, chair of the EFP scientific affairs committee and past president. “The EFP will continue to support cutting-edge digital technology, with the support of its partner Haleon.”

“Haleon is proud to support its partner the EFP, and this important, growing area of future research for oral health. The EFP Innovation Award for Digital Solutions is in its second year and quality of both entries and winners is outstanding,” adds Dr Steve Mason, Global Medical Lead for Oral Health at Haleon, EFP partner and one of the world’s largest providers of specialist oral health.

INTERVIEW: Haleon’s immediate impact

This past summer, GSK’s consumer healthcare division demerged from the company, becoming its own separate entity: Haleon. Tess Player, global healthcare professional lead, speaks with us about the transition and how the new standalone company is already living up to its promise to focus on everyday health with humanity in mind

How was the transition to Haleon and what have been the biggest challenges so far?

It’s been busy. What sets us apart now is that we’re an everyday health company with a focus on humanity. We’re able to make decisions and execute some of those things quicker than before. But we do have to remember that we are only a few months old and so the current journey we’re on is one to build awareness of the Haleon brand.

Much of the work that we do with our brands that everybody knows, such as Sensodyne and Aquafresh, continues to be consistent. So, consumers wanting great advice, as well as dentists, hygienists and therapists looking to us for the latest innovations, can be reassured that everything is coming from the same factories and that the same rep will walking through the door of their practice and giving out the same information. So yes, it’s been a journey, but mostly a smooth one.

 

One of the things Haleon was quick to execute was the inaugural Health Inclusivity Index. What work went into that?

As we’re now a company focused on, and dedicated to, everyday health versus being part of a larger pharma company, there’s an expectation that we’ll do more, that we’ll put our weight into research and development, and form partnerships to help make a real difference in everyday health around the world.

Our starting point has been to launch the first ever Health Inclusivity Index, which will consistently measure the ways in which countries around the world find to be inclusive when it comes to health, and asks what is being achieved. We’re extremely proud of this because, for us, inclusivity is the space where, being an everyday health company, we think we’ll be able to have the biggest impact.

It must be said that, although Haleon listed as a separate company in July, the Health Inclusivity Index was in the works beforehand and we worked with partners that were chose because of the trusted science that they base themselves in. So, we worked with UCL and The Economist Impact Unit.

We first of all sponsored a study with UCL lead academic David Napier to set out what already existed in a space of health inclusivity, and we were really surprised to find that there was nothing. We then worked with The Economist Impact Unit to sponsor an in-depth piece looking at whether healthcare systems, and the general environment, were inclusive enough across 40 markets so that it was available to all.

The findings are fascinating. In those 40 markets, there were three areas that we looked at.

The first was whether the system around government policies, through education and other means, was set up to grant the broader population access to healthcare for themselves. As an example, is brushing your children’s teeth, part of the school curriculum?

Second was all about formal healthcare systems, looking at whether pharmacists, dentists, and other primary health care professionals are set up to be really inclusive with their patients.

The third was about whether individuals are given the education and the awareness needed to be empowered to look after their own health.

Although the findings were not too surprising, it was great to gain some validation in that the more inclusive an entire health system was, the longer people lived, and the healthier they were throughout their lives. Essentially, we need to be more inclusive in health overall so that people can be healthier for longer.

The United Kingdom did actually come out on top for health inclusivity.

How is Haleon championing health inclusivity moving forward?

Some of the things that I love doing, and get the most excitement from, are things like the Oral Health in Comprehensive Cleft Care Project, in which we can partner with key academics around the world to support incredible work while also ensuring that the solutions we bring to the market are robust and independently verified. The project is a fantastic one, as provides dentists around the world with the knowledge and skills to care for people who have had cleft surgery as an infant, because that guidance didn’t exist before. We’re very proud of that work.

Haleon has also collaborated with Microsoft in its quest for heath inclusivity. What are the results of that relationship?

Alongside the launch of the Health Inclusivity Index, our work with Microsoft comes at inclusivity from a slightly different angle. It looks at supporting those who are either visually impaired or have difficulty reading in looking after their own health.

The result is that 1,500 of our products are now part of the Microsoft Seeing AI App. Microsoft has developed the app for many purposes but the way in which we’ve collaborated with them is so that where you’re told to, ‘Always read the label,’ if you can’t, or you can’t understand the label, then the app will verbally read the label out to you. Those people can now access the product information, which includes instructions and ingredients, bringing that health information to a wider population. The scheme has gone live in the UK in the US for now – although the ambition is that it will be rolled out worldwide. It’s certainly taken us a lot of time to make sure that all of the language was correct for every single one of those 1,500 products.

The advertising for this, which has gone live in the UK and runs until Christmas, states, ‘Always read the label, even when you can’t.’ This will help us to get the information out there that the labelling instructions are now available for a wider audience. And that also goes for dentists and pharmacists as well, where those labelling instructions are similarly important for so many of our over-the-counter medicines.

The direct consumer marketing will be on TV, radio and via a digital campaign. From a healthcare professional perspective, research has shown us that, for the most part, their lives are made easier when they can point patients towards a trusted source of information, and this means that they will save time where they may have been reading the label to their patients.

Is there anything else in the pipeline at Haleon that you can discuss?

One of the initiatives that we’ve launched within the pharmacy community, that we’ll be bringing to the dental and hygienist community soon, is what we’re calling The Haleon Centre for Human Sciences. This is where we are bringing together the scientific evidence base for our brands with what’s needed to actually get patients, consumers like you and me, to adopt better habits – such as brushing better – or to even change behaviours. We’re really hoping that this will be something really tangible and useful for daily healthcare professionals. A set of tools and interventions to help get the most out of conversations between dentists, hygienists and their patients.

Listen to the full interview here: 

Haleon’s Immediate Impact – Interview with Tess Player (video/podcast)

 

This past summer, GSK’s consumer healthcare division demerged from the company, becoming its own separate entity: Haleon.  

Tess Player, global healthcare professional lead, returns to The Probe Dental Podcast to discuss the transition and how the new standalone company is already living up to its promise to focus on everyday health with humanity in mind.  

 

Listen here as well as on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more:

 

Or watch the interview via The Probe’s Youtube channel:

 

References: 

 

Haleon and Microsoft use AI to enhance health product accessibility for blind and partially sighted people

Across the UK and US, consumers will hear important label information for over 1500 everyday consumer health products such as Sensodyne and Aquafresh

Haleon, parent company to brands such as Sensodyne and Aquafresh, has partnered with Microsoft Corp. to make everyday health more accessible for people who are blind, have low-vision or have difficulty with reading the labels of products due to low literacy.

Together, the companies are expanding functionality in the Microsoft Seeing AI app to provide more detailed labelling information for consumers for over 1500 Haleon products across the UK and US. Seeing AI is a free mobile app, for the visually impaired community, designed to narrate the world around them.

With the launch of Haleon’s ‘Always Read the Label,’ campaign for World Sight Day, which took place on Thursday 13th October, people who are blind and those with low vision or low literacy are able to read labels through Seeing AI by scanning the barcode of Haleon products to hear important information such as name, ingredients, and usage instructions. Through the enhanced functionality that Seeing AI offers, Haleon will help empower people to care for their own health independently by listening to the label information that’s narrated through the Seeing AI application.

In the UK, more than 2 million people are living with sight loss and 8.5 million people have very poor literacy skills. In an independent study of visually impaired people commissioned by Haleon, 93% of respondents said they don’t feel health products are accessible enough and almost 1 in 5 have taken the wrong dosage as they couldn’t read the packaging effectively. Haleon, driven by its purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity, believes that health products should be accessible. The collaboration is the first step in driving health inclusivity for this community.

The Seeing AI app was developed by a team of Microsoft engineers spearheaded by project lead and engineering manager Saqib Shaikh, who lost his sight at the age of seven, and was driven to develop the app by his passion for using technology to improve people’s lives.

Saqib Shaikh, Engineering Manager at Microsoft, commented: “I’m really excited to see the launch of this enhanced product recognition functionality, developed in collaboration with Haleon. Seeing AI’s intelligent barcode scanner plays audio cues to help you find the barcode, and now the information displayed for Haleon products is coming straight from the manufacturer, providing richer information including usage instructions and ingredients. This can be invaluable for someone who cannot read the label, leading to greater independence.”

Tamara Rogers, Chief Marketing Officer at Haleon said, “Helping people access vital information on our products is one of our first initiatives as we do our part to make everyday consumer health more inclusive. We hope Microsoft’s Seeing AI capability to narrate labels across Haleon’s products brings greater independence to our consumers. At Haleon, we have set ourselves the goal of helping 50 million people to be more included in opportunities for better everyday health by 2025, by tackling three big barriers that we know put everyday health out of reach for too many of the world’s citizens; Health Literacy, Healthcare Accessibility & Bias and Prejudice.”

The Microsoft Seeing AI app is free to download from the Apple App Store, and will be available on Android in the future. To use Seeing AI on Haleon’s products, the user should hold their phone camera over the existing barcode on the packaging. The app will read out the product name and all text on the packaging. The user can skip ahead or move back to the relevant section they wish to listen to, for example which flavour or how to use the product. The Haleon barcode functionality will launch in the UK and USA first, with plans to expand globally and add additional languages in the future.

Haleon launches with purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity

With the demerger from GSK plc (GSK) now complete, maker of Sensodyne, Voltaren and Panadol becomes one of the world’s leading independent consumer health companies

Haleon (LSE/NYSE: HLN) has launched as an independent company 100% focused on consumer health, completing its demerger from GSK. The newly listed business is driven by its purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity.

Trading commenced on Monday [18 July 2022] on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), with Brian McNamara, CEO of Haleon, leading the opening ceremony to signal the start of trading. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is set to follow, and a similar market-opening event will take place on [Wednesday 20 July 2022].

Haleon has a world-class portfolio of brands including Panadol, Voltaren and Otrivin and will seek to continue to develop category leading brands that address real consumer health needs, while focusing on future innovation across its entire portfolio.

With an increased consumer focus on health and wellness, an ageing global population, an emerging middle class in high-growth economies, growing self-care in the face of increased pressure on public healthcare systems and sizeable unmet consumer needs, Haleon has launched at a time when the consumer healthcare market is set for expansion.

Despite huge improvements in medicine, data and technology, everyday health remains elusive for too many people. Haleon aims to change this through a two-pronged approach. First, by working to remove barriers to better everyday health, and second, by aiming to empower 50 million people a year by 2025 to be more included in opportunities for better everyday health.

The company’s competitive advantage lies in its ability to blend deep human understanding and trusted science in the products it creates. Haleon is further distinguished by leading consumer healthcare-focused scientific capabilities, a well-developed organisational understanding of human health behaviours, strong capabilities in brand building, innovation and digital commerce and a powerful route-to-market.

Brian McNamara, Chief Executive Officer, Haleon, said: “This is a significant milestone for Haleon. Guided by our clear purpose and with a world class portfolio of brands that people know and trust, we stand ready to help address consumer needs and make better everyday health more achievable, inclusive and sustainable.”

“Consumer health has never been more important than it is today, and I am delighted that Haleon, as an independent company, is ready to pursue our ambitions.”

“Today follows a huge amount of effort, planning and collaboration by our dedicated colleagues all around the world.”

The brands within the Haleon portfolio have been providing treatment and improving the quality of life for millions of consumers across the globe for decades. They have also been trusted, recognised, and recommended by healthcare professionals across multiple markets.

Tess Player, VP Global Head of Expert/Health Professionals, commented: “Partnering with health professionals is a top priority for Haleon. Our focus is to better help health professionals achieve positive health outcomes for their patients, which is why we are committed to building deeper relationships with them. We are actively listening and developing solutions, so we can tackle the challenges standing in the way of better everyday health with humanity, together.

“Simply put, we have a restless desire to do more. That’s why we’re focused on creating initiatives that raise the bar in the level of support for health professionals, patients, and everyday health.”
In preparation for launch, Haleon has been collaborating with health professionals to better understand the barriers they are facing including: a lack of education in patient communication, behaviour change and emerging technologies, as well as a lack of time and recognition from peers, policymakers, and even patients at times.

These insights will feed into some significant new programmes and developments aimed at the health professional community. This includes launching the new Haleon HealthPartner portal.
Haleon HealthPartner is specifically designed with health professionals in mind and provides access to Haleon’s health-focused scientific capabilities and deep understanding of human health behaviours. Here you will find professional education, practical tools and the latest on new services, as well as our awareness campaigns and community-building efforts in support of health professionals.

“We are developing Haleon HealthPartner as a space for continuous learning, collaboration and recognition. A platform through which Haleon and health professionals can engage and collaborate alongside a hub of tools and resources to support them in their daily roles that have been developed and tested by their peers.” Player adds.

Haleon (pronounced “Hay-Lee-On”) was unveiled as the name of the business in February 2022 and is inspired by the merging of the words ‘Hale’, which is an old English word meaning ‘in good health’ and Leon, which is associated with the word ‘strength’.

The company’s signature “For Health. With Humanity” brings to life the essence and purpose of Haleon and was developed by its own colleagues. The signature will appear with our logo when space allows as it underscores the purpose of Haleon.

Health professionals can find out more about Haleon on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3uWYHXQ.

Haleon’s inception with Tess Player

In this episode, Tess Player, Global HCP Lead at Haleon, discusses the company’s formation. Haleon is a new, independent consumer healthcare company emerging as a result of GSK demerging its Consumer Healthcare division. Therefore, Haleon will be home to brands such as Sensodyne, Aquafresh, Parodontax, Polident and Biotène.

A longstanding member of the GSK team, Tess explains the reasons behind Haleon’s establishment and the impact it will have on dental care professionals as well as some of the programmes the company will offer for DCPs.

For more information, please visit GSK Health Partner: www.gskhealthpartner.com

You can also connect with Tess on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tess-player

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