Free sore throat swab service could boost throat medicines

Kiwiherb, one of New Zealand’s most respected and experienced providers of 100% natural healthcare products, is expecting a boost in sales of its natural throat soothing products following the launch of an in-pharmacy sore throat service.

Pharmacy group, Green Cross Health, has introduced the free service across 300 Unichem and Life Pharmacies. It takes just a simple swab, and in less than 10 minutes the test can tell patients what type of infection is causing their sore throat.

If the test reveals a bacterial infection, the patient can book an appointment with their GP to get the treatment they need. However, if it is viral, the advice is usually to treat the symptoms at home as antibiotics won’t help.

“A sore throat is a common reason for Kiwis heading to the doctor – but many people don’t realise that their symptoms can often be effectively treated at home with natural ingredients,” says Kiwiherb founder and pharmacist, Phil Rasmussen. “We’re completely behind this new service. It will ease pressure on the GP’s and also mean that people with viral infections can start treating their sore throat with the most appropriate products straightaway.”

Phil explains that Kiwiherb will be using the launch as an opportunity to shine a light on naturally effective New Zealand ingredients.

“The demand for natural cold, cough and sore throat remedies continues to climb each year. Innovations like this free test mean people are better educated about their conditions and how to treat them. There has also been a noticeable shift in preference towards natural products as consumers become more aware of the limitations of over-the-counter medicines and the benefits of naturally sourced ingredients.”

“We’re very fortunate in New Zealand to have access to numerous herbs and honeys that can be useful to help counteract viral throat conditions,” he adds. “Apart from immunity-enhancing herbs such as Echinacea root, we also have some of the best quality Propolis in the world here, which has proven antiviral properties[1] and has even been shown to lessen the severity of viral pharyngitis symptoms in children[2].”

Scientific evidence also shows that the herb Thyme has useful expectorant[3] and anti-inflammatory[4] actions, while Thyme and Manuka honeys provide additional soothing and antimicrobial properties[5].
Kiwiherb’s range of natural respiratory products, includes Kiwiherb Herbal Throat Spray and Kiwiherb Children’s Throat Syrup, which contain a unique combination of these high quality New Zealand produced organic herbal ingredients.

Each of the key ingredients are there because of scientific or traditional use evidence of them helping to protect against or treat, sore throats during the winter season. These include organically certified Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), New Zealand sourced Propolis, Kawakawa (Piper excelsum), certified organic Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea), and certified organic Manuka and Thyme Honeys.

Products can be purchased off the shelf from an extensive number of stores across the North and South Islands – including Unichem and Life Pharmacies, Health 2000, Huckleberry Stores and other health stores and pharmacies. They can also be ordered online via the Kiwiherb website.

Kiwiherb was founded by experienced pharmacist and medical herbalist, Phil Rasmussen almost 20 years ago. The company takes great pride in creating high quality, effective, natural family healthcare products.

For more details on Kiwiherb, visit kiwiherb.co.nz or follow the brand on Facebook.

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