WASHINGTON — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) issued the following statement in conjunction with the launch of The Global Self-Care Federation’s Self-Care Readiness Index (SCRI):

“CHPA applauds The Global Self-Care Federation (GSCF) for the release of its new, pioneering report on self-care: The Self-Care Readiness Index (SCRI). Developed with the support of, and in partnership with, the World Health Organization (WHO), the SCRI is a first-of-its-kind research and policy initiative examining four key factors (“enablers”) of self-care: stakeholder support and adoption; consumer and patient empowerment; health policy; and regulatory environment. These insights are the result of GSCF’s research across health systems in ten different countries around the world, including the U.S.

“According to the SCRI, more than 88% of healthcare professionals across the U.S., the U.K., South Africa, and Egypt, see self-care as crucial to helping them take good care of their patients. In the U.S. specifically, the SCRI highlights that, while U.S. policymakers have stepped-up efforts by passing legislation such as OTC Monograph reform and the restoration of OTC eligibility under FSA/HSA accounts, more needs to be done to increase the availability of self-care options for consumers.

CHPA president and CEO Scott Melville, said, “This Index can serve as a catalyst and roadmap for policymakers, decision-makers, and healthcare professionals to establish new, better approaches to self-care in the U.S. and around the world.”

Download the Executive Summary here, and visit GSCF to get the full report here.