Recent Opinion Editorial In Newsweek Magazine Reflects Growing Concern Over Rising Costs Of Health Care And Prescription Medications And Important Role Of Non-Prescription Options

NEW YORK and BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IM HealthScience^® (IMH) today confirmed that its product, IBgard^®, was among those favorably mentioned in an important opinion editorial in Newsweek, a globally recognized weekly news magazine. In this July 3 online issue entitled, "A Prescription-Free Way to Affordable Health," by Devon Herrick, Ph.D., a health care economist who serves as a Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C., IBgard^® was selected among the examples of cost-effective, non-prescription approaches that doctors should consider to help mitigate the growing prices of prescription drugs. IBgard^® is a clinically studied, non-prescription medical food containing peppermint oil for the dietary management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

According to Dr. Herrick, prescription prices are on the rise, and "list prices for brand-name drugs jumped almost 15 percent in 2015."  These increasing costs are occurring at a time when more and more people are facing higher deductibles. "Patients' average out-of-pocket spending jumped 77 percent from 2004 to 2014. Spending on insurance deductibles rose eight times as fast as wages, and expenditures on co-insurance -- an arrangement that forces patients to pay a large percentage of each prescription's cost – more than doubled. Many patients can't afford these costs."

Dr. Herrick cited the fact that "non-prescription drugs save Americans $102 billion a year. That's a third of the nation's total pharmaceutical spending. Non-prescription treatments also come with fewer side effects and health risks…. Doctors aren't the only ones who ought to encourage greater adoption of non-prescription remedies. Insurers should too."

Patients were encouraged by Dr. Herrick to discuss with their physicians whether they should "use affordable non-prescription alternatives first…One such IBS remedy, IBgard^®, sells for 63 cents per capsule, and according to recent clinical studies, it decreases IBS symptoms by 40 percent after four weeks." He continues to state that "non-prescription treatments boost patients' health without breaking the bank. By encouraging increased use of these therapies, physicians and insurers could trim ballooning health care bills and ensure patients can actually afford to follow their doctors' orders."

Dr. Herrick's commentary reflects the amplified tone in the ongoing national conversation on access and affordability to health care, especially among that broad segment of the population whose income is in the range of the national median of $52,000.

IBS Affects One in Six Americans
Individuals with IBS have a significant burden affecting their daily quality of life and point to the need for a more proactive approach in managing their condition. In fact, IBS is a condition that affects one in six Americans.  It is a frustrating, under-diagnosed, and undertreated condition characterized by abdominal pain and other bowel symptoms. It can be severe – even unbearable – for some patients. IBgard^® has been clinically proven to manage the symptoms of IBS, especially abdominal pain, in as early as 24 hours.   

About IBgard^®
IBgard^® capsules contain peppermint oil, including its principal component l-Menthol, in a unique delivery system. With its patented Site Specific Targeting (SST^®) technology, pioneered by IM HealthScience^®, IBgard^® capsules release Ultramen^®, an ultra-purified peppermint oil, in the small intestine. Peppermint oil can help toward normalizing the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients, which have been compromised by IBS. Peppermint oil has also been shown to normalize intestinal transit time.

Over 10,000 health care practitioners, including 3,000 gastroenterologists, are estimated to have already used IBgard^® for their patients. In a recent nationwide survey of gastroenterologists, IBgard^® was the number one recommended peppermint oil for IBS. While IBgard^® does not require a prescription, it must be used under medical supervision. Only doctors can diagnose IBS. The usual adult dose of IBgard^® is 1-2 capsules as needed, up to three times a day, not to exceed 8 capsules per day.

IBgard^® is available to patients in the digestive aisle at most CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens and Rite Aid stores nationwide and now increasingly in independent drug stores and grocery stores across the country.

About IM HealthScience^®
IM HealthScience^® (IMH) is the innovator of IBgard^® for the dietary management of irritable bowel syndrome. It is a privately held company based in Boca Raton, Florida, that is also the innovator of FDgard^® for the dietary management of functional dyspepsia. It was founded in 2010 by a team of highly experienced pharmaceutical research and development and management executives. The company is dedicated to developing products to address gastrointestinal issues where there is a high unmet need. The IM HealthScience^® advantage comes from developing products based on its patented, targeted-delivery technologies called Site Specific Targeting (SST^®). For more information, visit www.imhealthscience.com to learn about the company, or www.IBgard.com or www.FDgard.com.

SOURCE IM HealthScience