New Policy Regulates Online Resale, Protects Customers and Patients
PITTSBURGH, PA – In January of 2012, exclusive healthcare professional nutritional supply company Douglas Laboratories announced the implementation of a Corporate Internet Resellers Policy (CIRP) and Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) policy.
The newly implemented policy delineates healthcare professional (HCP) liabilities, advertising regulations and actual resale price clarifications as they apply to any licensed HCP currently selling or intending to sell Douglas products online. Though Douglas has always had a standing pricing policy in place, the new CIRP more clearly defines the guidelines for customers using the web as a sales tool.
“The new corporate policy is universally more enforceable and stringent,” explains Timothy J. Monk, Jr., Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Douglas Laboratories. “The ultimate goal is to provide further protection for our valued healthcare professionals and their patients.”
By prohibiting HCP customers from advertising any product at less than the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) or offering a volume discount causing per unit sales to fall below the SRP, Douglas can better govern costs for all users and distributors of every Douglas product. With the new policy in place and publicly accessible, HCP customers are no longer required to submit an application to advertise Douglas products.
“We recognize that the Internet is a place where positive business can happen, but we also recognize the challenges that it can present,” continues Monk. “We want to create a level playing field for all of our customers and, in turn, their patients in an effort to maintain our established foundation of quality.”
The full Corporate Internet Resellers Policy can be found on Douglas Labs’ website at http://www.douglaslabs.com/internetpolicy.cfm.
ABOUT DOUGLAS LABORATORIES
A subsidiary of Atrium Innovations Inc. [TSX: ATB], Douglas Laboratories, the trusted choice of thousands of healthcare professionals for over 50 years, is at the forefront of the nutritional health industry, proudly researching, developing and manufacturing superior quality, science-based supplements that help people improve their health. Recognized throughout the industry for its uncompromising operational practices at its state-of-the-art, GMP-compliant manufacturing facilities, Douglas Laboratories continues to provide the added insurance of multiple domestic and international GMP certifications, including ISO-9001 Certification and ISO-17025 Accreditation for in-house laboratories, as well as NSF International Registration. Douglas Laboratories currently offers over 600 branded products, and introduces new products on a continuous basis. Working with an experienced research staff of PhDs and a prestigious medical advisory board, Douglas Laboratories is committed to bringing innovative, science-based products to the marketplace. Douglas Laboratories distributes worldwide, with its headquarters located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. For additional information, please visit www.douglaslabs.com.
ABOUT ATRIUM INNOVATIONS (TSX: ATB)
Atrium Innovations Inc. is a globally recognized leader in the innovation, formulation, production and commercialization of science-based and professionally endorsed products for the health & nutrition industry. The Company focuses primarily on growing segments of the health and nutrition markets, which are benefiting from the trends towards healthy living and the ageing of the population. Atrium markets a broad portfolio of finished products through its highly specialized sales and marketing network in more than 35 countries, primarily in North America and Europe. Atrium has over 925 employees and operates seven manufacturing facilities. Additional information about Atrium is available on its website at www.atrium-innovations.com.
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