Walmart, J&J honored at CHPA Foundation's inaugural gala

from l. to r.: Anita Brikman, CHPA Educational Foundation; Annie Walker, Walmart Stores; and Christopher DeWolf, CHPA Educational Foundation

NEW YORK — Walmart and Johnson & Johnson were recognized Monday evening at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association Educational Foundation's inaugural gala here, CHPA announced Tuesday.



Walmart was named the CHPA Foundation's 2016 Distinguished Industry Partner of the Year for its three-year collaboration with the Foundation to educate consumers on the safe use of acetaminophen through the foundation’s flagship campaign Know Your Dose. Annie Walker, VP OTC merchandising for Walmart, accepted the award.



And J&J was awarded the 2016 Industry Leadership Award for Advancing Responsible Self-Care for its OTC Medicine Safety Program. The OTC Medicine Safety program was developed to instill a healthy respect for all medicines by teaching adolescents core concepts on the responsible use and storage of medicines. Since its launch in 2012, the program has been implemented thousands of times in communities across the country through teachers, healthcare professionals, community leaders and families.   



Finalists for this award included Bayer Consumer Health for its Continuing Medical Education Program on oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs selection in patients with osteoarthritis and GSK Consumer Healthcare for its Nicorette and NicoDerm CQ“What’s Your Why” Campaign.



Also recognized was the American Association of Poison Control Centers as CHPA Foundation's 2016 Outstanding Community Partner of the Year. AAPCC continues to partner with the foundation to educate consumers on how to safely dispose of unwanted or expired OTC medicines through community education efforts conducted by the all 55 poison centers in the U.S. Stephen Kaminski, CEO and executive director of AAPCC, accepted the award.



The award ceremony entertained more than 200 members of the healthcare community whose partnerships with the foundation have made significant strides to advance public education on the safe use, storage and disposal of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements.



Wendy Sue Swanson, medical adviser to the foundation’s website KnowYourOTCs.org and chief of digital innovation at Seattle Children’s Hospital, provided the keynote address. "I'm thrilled to expand the reach and the consequent possibilities for messages reaching families about how to safely use, store and dose OTC medications,” she said. “Partnerships across the digital and media landscape, like the one I have with Know Your OTCs, will only improve our access to parent's attention and increase the likelihood that smarter solutions become every day solutions in their lives with their children.”