Marketing
The marketing of the Claritin brand is important in the history of direct-to-consumer advertising of drugs.The first television commercial for a prescription drug was broadcast in the United States in 1983, by Boots. It caused controversy. The federal Food and Drug Administration responded with strong regulation requiring disclosure of side effects and other information. These rules made pharmaceutical manufacturers balk at spending money on ads that had to highlight negative aspects.In the mid-1990s, the marketing team for Claritin at Schering-Plough found a way around these rules. They created brand awareness commercials that never actually said what the drug was for, but instead showed sunny images, and the voiceover said such things as "At last, a clear day is here" and "Its time for Claritin" and repeatedly told viewers "Ask your doctor [about Claritin]." The first ads made people aware of the brand and increased prescriptions, which led Schering-Plough and others to aggressively pursue the advertising strategy.In 1998, a 12-page one-shot comic based in the Batman: The Animated Series was given away to advertise Claritin. The book, written by PRIEST, penciled by Joe Staton, and inked by Mike DeCarlo, sees Tim Drake unable to perform his crime-fighting duties because hay fever and antihistamines make him drowsy. After being given a prescription for Claritin, he saved Batman from Poison Ivy.This trend, along with advice from the Food and Drug Administrations attorneys that it could not win a First Amendment case on the issue, prompted the administration to issue new rules for television commercials in 1997.
Loratadine, sold under the brand name Claritin among others, is a medication used to treat allergies. This includes allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and hives. It is also available in combination with pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, known as loratadine/pseudoephedrine. It is taken orally.Common side effects include sleepiness, dry mouth, and headache. Serious side effects are rare and include allergic reactions, seizures, and liver problems. Use during pregnancy appears to be safe but has not been well studied. It is not recommended in children less than two years old. It is in the second-generation antihistamine family of medication.Loratadine was patented in 1980 and came to market in 1988. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. Loratadine is available as a generic medication. In the United States, it is available over the counter. In 2019, it was the 66th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 11 million prescriptions. Medical uses
Loratadine is indicated for the symptomatic relief of allergy such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis), urticaria (hives), chronic idiopathic urticaria, and other skin allergies. For allergic rhinitis, loratadine is indicated for both nasal and eye symptoms - sneezing, runny nose, and itchy or burning eyes.Similarly to cetirizine, loratadine attenuates the itching associated with Kimuras disease. Forms
The drug is available in many different forms, including tablets, oral suspension, and syrup, and in combination with pseudoephedrine. Also available are quick-dissolving tablets. Contraindications
Patients with severe hepatic (liver) disorders may need to start with a lower dose.