First medical claim for OTC cranberry for UTI

A CRANBERRY-based product clinically shown to support urinary tract health is the first of its kind to obtain a Class IIa medical device registration in the European Union.

Amsterdam-based Medical Brands obtained Class IIa status for ‘Cranberry- Active’ Bladder Capsules, which were developed by Decas Botanical Synergies (DBS) of Carver, Massachusetts. This makes it the only cranberry-based product in the EU that can be freely marketed with a medical claim for treating and preventing urinary tract infections.

Whilst antibiotics are the traditional treatment for UTIs, there is a growing global push towards other solutions as resistance to antibiotics continues to rise. “The market opportunity is perfectly timed given EFSA’s recent cranberry-based food supplement claim rejections which make any cranberrybased label claims for urinary tract health illegal by the end of 2012. As a result of these market dynamics, partners who launch Cranberry-Active will be well-positioned to quickly take a leadership position within UTI treatments in Europe and beyond,” said Maikel Hendriks, president of Medical Brands.