Boiron Laboratories diversify their offer Reacting to the delisting of homeopathic medicines or not, France’s number one homeopathy company is launching a new business in probiotics and digestive health. This is a significant change of direction for the Lyon-based family business. Exchange with Marion Bolorinos, Digestion Product Manager at Boiron. Actif’s Mag: How do you assess the market for «digestive health» food supplements in France? Marion Bolorinos: The market for dietary supplements for «di- gestive health» is a dynamic market, both through an expansion and evolution of the offer towards new types of products (such as probiotics), but also through the growing demand of patients. Indeed, digestive disorders affect a significant proportion of the French population: 25% of French people suffering from functio- nal intestinal disorders say they are particularly bothered (study «Digestion - Transit: Therapeutic approach and patient/consu- mer behavior» Expansion Consulteam, Nov. 2019). Among them, 20% suffer from food intolerances, particularly lactose, and 15%Marion Bolorin from irritable bowel syndrome (or functional colopathy). These os Chef de produits Digestion chez Boiron patients are looking for solutions and regularly consult theirDigestion Product Manager at Boiron health professionals (doctors and pharmacists) in order to be re- lieved in their daily life. « C’est sous l’impulsion des frères Boiron Actif’s Mag: What are the main trends in this market? “ It was under the impetus of the Boiron Marion Bolorinos: The major trend in this market in recent que l’homéopathie a intégré la pharmacopée years is probiotics. Scientific research is increasingly active inbrothers that homeopathy became part of the this field, with new studies published every day. This new “the-française en 1965. Puis en 1982, rapy” is also appealing to patients because they are natural in-French pharmacoeia in 1965. Then in 1982,po gredients, respectful of the body and the environment, and com-la pharmacopée américaine et en 1995, pletely safe. the Americanpharmacopoeia and in 1995, la pharmacopée européenne. » Actif’s Mag: Has the current health crisis impacted your the European pharmacopoeia.” business? If yes, to what extent? Marion Bolorinos: With the health crisis and the associated res- triction measures, such as travel limits, business has been parti- cularly impacted in the digestive sphere in the motion sicknessFirst of all, the respect of the patient: both homeopathy and pro- segment. However, for digestive comfort in the broad sense, pa-biotics have demonstrated their safety and compatibility with tient demand has remained stable. most conventional treatments. Secondly, a global approach to the patient: this holistic approach Actif’s Mag: We know you well in the field of leads homeopathy not to consider the disease or the symptoms homeopathy; what were the reasons for Boiron alone but to focus on the patient as a whole. In the same way, Laboratories to launch into probiotics? probiotics help restore the balance of the ecosystem that is the Marion Bolorinos: Boiron Laboratories have always been com- microbiota. The intestine plays a determining role in the appea- mitted to treating without harm and with the utmost respect forrance of pathologies well beyond gastrointestinal disorders. • patients. This is why we are extending our expertise to probiotics, a field that is in line with our values. Indeed, for two main rea- sons, homeopathy and probiotics have common assets: Interview by Elisa Duclos #75 - 511 -GAM s’fitcA