Survey Shows 60 of Cold Affected Population Hit The Linctus Bottle Rather Than The Doctor’s Surgery And A Third Choose To Work Through Illness

An on-line survey of 1,000 men and women across the UK, undertaken by voxpopuk.com for Bells Healthcare, and exploring the cold treatment habits of the nation shows:

52 of respondents reported suffering from a cold in the past few weeks

Of those suffering from colds 45 of women and 20 of men admitted to taking time off work or taking to their bed because of it

85 of women suffering from colds admitted to self-medicating with over the counter cold remedies to get through their illness - versus only 39 of men

Reasons for the move towards self medication include doctors recommendations that patients with cold symptoms stay away from surgeries too busy to cope with demand and growing awareness that prescription drugs, such as antibiotics, will not help alleviate symptoms and the high cost of each prescription at 7.10.

Main beneficiaries of the trend towards self-medication are the cold remedy manufacturers – but not just the mainstream high street brands – there’s a real resurgence in demand for more traditional cough medications as well as demand for herbal and homeopathic remedies. Notably, sales of over the counter medicines in Scotland and Wales only marginally increased, likely due to their free prescription service.

According to the survey 60 of those self medicating admitting to seeking medications other than the high street staples and purchasing or trying traditional, natural or homeopathic remedies.

Ken Wells, Managing Director of Bell, Sons & Co, one of the UK’s oldest and most trusted family pharmaceutical companies, and the manufacturer of traditional cold remedy KILKOF says, "We have seen sales of KILKOF linctus and throat lozenges go through the roof in recent weeks in the UK. Sales are up 43 this year as more people are sensibly choosing to self medicate rather than overwhelm their local GP."

According to NHS Direct: "the best advice for a common cold is self medication such as paracetamol, cough linctus and throat lozenges as well as drinking plenty of fluid and avoiding contact with other people."