Consumer health innovation is key to addressing challenges, like self-care access, health literacy and holistic wellness.

Rachel Koontz, Bayer's head of R&D for consumer health North America and global therapeutics, shares how the company leads the way with sustainable, science-backed products tailored to evolving health care needs.

1. First things first: How does Bayer's mission guide innovation in consumer health?

Koontz: At Bayer, we live by the philosophy 'health for all, hunger for none,' centering consumers, patients, and farmers in everything we do.

In consumer health, our innovation is rooted in understanding people's habits, needs, and medical insights.

• As bodies and behaviors evolve over time, our products adapt to meet these changing demands.

Access is also a top priority. On the consumer health side, we have set a goal to reach 100 million underserved consumers by 2030.

• We aim to achieve this by focusing on affordability and ensuring products are available where they shop.
• Health literacy also plays a critical role. Ensuring people understand how to use our products empowers them to take better control of their self-care.

2. The biggest update: What types of products is Bayer working on to support digestive wellness?

Koontz: In the U.S., we launched Iberogast, a digestive relief product.

What makes Iberogast truly unique is its formulation. The six-herb blend — featuring Iberis amara, peppermint, German chamomile, lemon balm, caraway and licorice — offers a synergistic effect, addressing a range of occasional digestive upsets. *

Our product is different in that Iberogast helps provide relief from occasional digestive symptoms by helping restore digestive function. *

3. The benefits: How do these ingredients work together to support digestive health?

Koontz: Essentially, Iberogast helps relieve occasional digestive symptoms including indigestion, fullness, heartburn, nausea, gas, abdominal discomfort +constipation/diarrhea.

The herbs work together to help reduce stomach acid, regulate stomach muscles and calm gut nerves. *

• They also support the gut lining and the microbiome (refers to good bacteria and metabolites) which are important in digestive function. *

The combination of these six herbs helps a person relieve these occasional digestive symptoms. *

4. Why now: What makes now the right time for Bayer to bring Iberogast to the U.S. market?

Koontz: Two main factors.

First, tens of millions of Americans experience occasional digestive health issues.

Second, we formulated Iberogast to fit U.S. consumer habits. The liquid product is a tincture where you add drops to a beverage.

So, we developed softgels — portable, convenient and aligned with American preferences.

• This approach ensures we're not only addressing health concerns but also meeting consumers where they are.

5. Take note: How does Bayer leverage science and consumer insights to create impactful health solutions?

Koontz: Bayer's innovation combines three key elements: a deep understanding of consumers and customers, medical insights into what's happening in the body, and cutting-edge advancements in ingredients and product delivery.

• Our team of experts, including doctors, microbiologists, and pharmacologists, collaborates with healthcare professionals to bridge the gap between how consumers feel and what's actually occurring inside their bodies.

• By pairing this expertise with innovative formulations — like soft gels or better-tasting products — we ensure our products address real needs while delighting consumers.

It's this fusion of science and people that drives meaningful innovation at Bayer.

6. Looking ahead: What excited you the most about the future in the consumer health space?

Koontz: I'm particularly excited about digital health and how it helps consumers access the data they need to make better self-care decisions.

Let me give you two examples.

The first is the Bayer Heart Health Risk Tool, which we launched in partnership with Huma.

• It uses a simple questionnaire to help people understand their future risk of a heart health event.

The second example is One A Day Age Factor, which helps defend against cellular aging.

• Alongside the supplement, we've developed a companion app and diagnostic tool that helps consumers understand their cellular age and empowers them to take steps to improve it.

Digital health is an area where I see tremendous potential for Bayer and for the future of self-care. It's an exciting time.

7. The takeaway: How does Bayer ensure its innovations make a lasting impact on both people's lives and the planet?

Koontz: Lasting impact comes from centering consumers, patients and farmers in every decision we make.

• Whether it's designing consumer-friendly products or ensuring solutions fit seamlessly into daily life, we stay focused on creating meaningful, lasting benefits.

Our mission — "health for all, hunger for none" — guides every step of this process.

Learn more.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.