Kenvue, the world’s largest pure-play consumer health company by revenue, released a groundbreaking whitepaper addressing challenges in cough evaluation and management at the primary care level endorsed by The Association of Physicians of India (API). The paper titled “Addressing Dilemmas in Cough Evaluation & Management at Primary Care Level” was released at API’s 79^th annual conference, APICON 2024. The scientific whitepaper provides the latest consensus from a team of distinguished Indian medical experts, with the aim to revolutionise the approach to cough treatment in India.

Cough is a pervasive symptom in primary care, and yet, a majority of cases are treated empirically without proper categorisation. The absence of a systematic approach may lead to the use of multi-ingredient irrational cough formulations, increasing the risk of side effects and escalating treatment costs.

Recognising this dilemma, a scientific advisory board meeting was convened with ten esteemed national experts specialising in internal medicine and pulmonology. The goal was to understand the challenges faced by primary care physicians and develop a simplified cough categorisation guideline. The resultant guidelines/tool are designed to help categorise cough as wet or dry and encourage physicians/doctors to use single ingredient cough formulations to facilitate symptom based personalized management of cough.

The recommendations have been built by a scientific advisory board with national experts including Dr. Agam Vora, Dr. Surinder Jindal, Dr. Mangesh Tiwaskar, Dr. Jyotirmoy Pal, Dr. Pradyumn Sharma, Dr. Mahavir Modi, Dr. Sheetu Singh, Dr. Priti Thakor*, Dr. Harshad Malve* and Dr. Someshwar Rayasam*.

The paper included recommendations to guide physicians on cough categorisation and management, importance of avoiding irrational cough formulations and need for evidence-based prescriptions, need for distinct day and night cough preparations, role of hydration in managing coughs, and the other key aspects. Primary care physicians must be educated on the use of drugs by cough category with the help of a flowchart along with various interpretations depending on symptoms of cough, including anti-tussive for dry cough and expectorants for wet cough. Lastly, the whitepaper also recommends that primary care physicians should be provided specialised training and knowledge on non-pulmonary causes of cough and red flags to optimize patient outcomes.

Commenting on the launch of the Kenvue’s latest scientific paper, Manish Anandani, Managing Director, Kenvue India* said, “In the realm of primary care, the variability in addressing cough-related concerns often results in suboptimal outcomes including physicians recommending certain cough formulations that are not effective. We are delighted to release our latest whitepaper in collaboration with the Association of Physicians of India to empower healthcare professionals with a streamlined approach to aid precision in cough evaluation and management. Through these efforts, we aim to enhance the quality of care delivered at the primary care level, offering a transformative impact on patient well-being.”

Dr. Agam Vora, Hon. General Secretary, API, said, “With the recent rise in cough related symptoms, a more targeted approach to the treatment is essential for faster recovery. It is critical to distinguish between wet and dry cough not only refine diagnostic precision but also to ensure tailored interventions. This nuanced approach allows healthcare providers to navigate through treatment options more effectively, fostering personalized care that aligns with the specific nature of the cough.”