McNeil Consumer Healthcare
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2017) |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Headquarters | Fort Washington, Pennsylvania,United States |
Key people | Denice Torres, President[1] |
| Products | Tylenol,Motrin,Imodium,Lactaid,Listerine,Plax,Visine,Benadryl,Caladryl,Zyrtec,Mylanta,Mylicon,Pepcid,Benecol(US license) |
| Parent | Kenvue |
McNeil Consumer Healthcareis an American medicals products company belonging toKenvueconsumer health group. It primarily sellsfast-moving consumer goodssuch asover-the-counter drugs.
History
[edit]The company was founded on March 16, 1879, by 23-year-old Robert McNeil, who paid $167 for adrugstorecomplete with fixtures, inventory andsoda fountain,as a retailpharmacy,in theKensingtonsection ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania,United States. Robert McNeil was a graduate of thePhiladelphia College of Pharmacy and Science(University of the Sciences in Philadelphia).[citation needed]
In 1904, one of McNeil's sons, Robert Lincoln McNeil, became part of the company and together they createdMcNeil Laboratoriesin 1933. The company would focus ondirect marketingof prescription drugs to hospitals, pharmacists, and doctors. Development ofacetaminophenbegan under the leadership ofRobert L. McNeil, Jr.,who later served as the firm's chairman.[2]In 1953 McNeil Laboratories introduced Algoson, a preparation containingacetaminophentogether with sodiumbutabarbital,asedative.In 1955, McNeil Laboratories introduced Tylenol Elixir for children, containing only acetaminophen.
In 1959,Johnson & Johnsonacquired McNeil Laboratories and a year later the company was able to sellTylenolfor the first time ever, without a prescription. In 1961, the company moved into itsFort Washington, Pennsylvaniaheadquarters. Along with its Fort Washington plant, McNeil also has plants worldwide.
In 1977, two companies were created: McNeil Medical Products and McNeil Consumer Products Company or McNeil Consumer Healthcare. The focus of McNeil Medical Products was to market prescription drugs.
Another major development in 1977 was that entrepreneur Alan Kligerman started to market a lactase supplement he originally called LactAid. In early 1991, Kligerman licensed the Lactaid brand (note the change of capitalization) to McNeil. Johnson & Johnson "poured millions into slick packaging and advertising," and turned Lactaid into its fastest-growing brand during the 1990s.[3]
In 1993, McNeil Medical Products merged withOrtho Pharmaceuticalto formOrtho-McNeil Pharmaceutical.
In 2001, McNeil Consumer Healthcare changed its name toMcNeil Consumer & Specialty Medical Products.However, it was changed again and is now known as "McNeil Consumer Healthcare".
In 2018, Johnson & Johnson changed the name of the McNeil facility in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania to Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.
As part of Procter & Gamble's acquisition of Gillette in 2005, Procter & Gamble's Gillette was required by theFederal Trade Commissionto divest itself ofRembrandt toothpaste.[4]Consequently, it sold Rembrandt toJohnson & Johnson's McNeil-PPC division.[4] [5][6][7]That year, Rembrandt had sales that likely exceeded $100 million.[4]
The company marketsover-the-counterandprescriptionmedical products including complete lines ofTylenolandMotrinIB (ibuprofen) products for adults and children.[citation needed]The company is located inFort Washington, Pennsylvania,and employs 2,600 people.[citation needed]Annual sales in 2004 were US $2.1 billion. McNeil's Canadian head office is inMarkham, Ontario.[citation needed]
In September 2022, Johnson & Johnson unveiled the name for its New Consumer Health Company that is being spun off: Kenvue. The name, pronounced ken-view, comes from the English word "ken," which is primarily used on Scotland and means knowledge, and "vue," which references sight. Kenvue, which will become a standalone company in 2023, will include in its portfolio brands such as Band-Aid, Aveeno, Listerine, Tylenol and Neutrogena.[citation needed]
McNeil Nutritionals
[edit]McNeil Nutritionals, LLCmarkets and sells a range of products includingLactaid,andBenecolin the UK, Ireland, Belgium, and in the US under license fromRaisio Group.
In June 2007, McNeil became involved in lawsuits withMerisant,the makers of the artificial sweetenerEqual.[8]McNeil was the maker of sucralose (Splenda) sweetener at the time of the lawsuit withMerisant.It also produced a sweetener made withsteviaand canesugar,marketed as Sun Crystals.[citation needed]
In 2012, it started to sell amonk fruit-based sweetener calledNectresse.[9]
Johnson & Johnson Merck Joint Venture
[edit] |
Known as the "JV," this 50/50joint venturebetweenJohnson & JohnsonandMerckhandled the OTC product linesPepcid,Mylanta,andMyliconand is located at the McNeil Consumer Healthcare headquarters in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.
In September 2011, however, the JV ended, when Merck sold its 50 percent interest in the joint venture. Merck said it sold its interest in the joint venture so it could focus on building the consumer products division it gained through itsacquisitionofSchering-Ploughin 2009. By terminating the joint venture, Merck said it will have greater freedom to exploit opportunities to switch prescription medicines to over-the-counter products that can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. As a result, all former Johnson & Johnson-Merck products are now handled by McNeil Consumer Healthcare.
1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
[edit]In 1982, seven people were murdered in Chicago by Tylenol pills, manufactured by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, which had been tampered with after manufacture and placed on the store shelves.
2010 product recall
[edit]After serious quality and safety violations were found in 2010 at Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare plant in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, numerous medicines were recalled. The Food and Drug Administration issued a report outlining 20 violations, including "filthy" conditions, bacteria that contaminated medicine supply drums and the plant "does not maintain adequate laboratory facilities for the testing and approval (or rejection) of components of drug products."[10]
In April 2010, McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalled 43 over-the-counter children's medicines.Tylenol,Motrin,ZyrtecandBenadrylproducts were affected.[11]
References
[edit]- ^Raven, Kathleen (April 16, 2015)."HBA Woman of the Year: J&J's Denice Torres".Pharmaceutical Executive.Pharmaceutical Executive-04-01-2015.34(4). PharmExec.com.RetrievedJune 7,2017.
- ^Singer, Natasha (June 3, 2010)."Robert L. McNeil Jr., Chemist Who Introduced Tylenol, Dies at 94".The New York Times.RetrievedJune 4,2010.
- ^Hwang, Suein L. (April 20, 1993). "Makers of Remedies Breed a Cash Cow As They Publicize Lactose Intolerance".The Wall Street Journal.p. B1.Available throughProQuest.
- ^abcJack Neff (October 24, 2005)."Johnson & Johnson To Buy Rembrandt Oral Care Line".Advertising Age.RetrievedApril 12,2014.
- ^Julie Deardorff (March 5, 2014)."Loss of canker sore toothpaste angers loyal users".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedApril 12,2014.
- ^Byron, Ellen (April 24, 2007)."Merger Challenge: Unite Toothbrush, Toothpaste".Wall Street Journal.RetrievedApril 12,2014.
- ^Michael Hitt; R. Duane Ireland; Robert Hoskisson (2008).Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, Concepts.Cengage Learning.ISBN9781111805135.RetrievedApril 12,2014.
- ^Browning, Lynnley (June 8, 2007)."Artificial Sweetener Rivals Renew a Heated Court Fight".The New York Times.
- ^Christopher Adams (Aug 28, 2012),US launch sweet news for kiwi supplier,The New Zealand Herald
- ^"Shocking conditions at Tylenol plant".CNN.May 14, 2010.
- ^Singer, Natasha (May 1, 2010)."Children's Tylenol and Other Drugs Recalled".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 3,2010.
External links
[edit]- About Tylenol/McNEIL-Tylenol
- McNeil Product Recall homepage
- Complete list of affected productsfrom McNeil's website (April 2010)
- Robert Lincoln McNeil obituaryretrieved June 2, 2010