Long-time drug industry lobbyist Bill Head will take over as VP of government affairs at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association following Andrew Fish's recent departure.

CHPA Senior VP of Policy and International Affairs David Spangler also immediately will assume from Fish the role of general counsel and secretary, the trade group announced Jan. 3.

Bill Head, VP of government affairs at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association

Bill Head, VP of government affairs at the Consumer Healthcare Products Association

Fish joined the Advanced Medical Technology Association as executive VP, and will serve as the executive director for its subsidiary AdvaMedDx, which focuses on the in vitro diagnostic technology area, AdvaMed announced Oct. 20.

When Head begins Jan. 17 as CHPA's VP of government affairs, he will join a seasoned team operating under a new leader. Scott Melville took over as CHPA CEO and president Nov. 1, succeeding Linda Suydam. Melville came from a strong Rx manufacturing and distribution background, but this position is his first in the OTC arena (Also see "Incoming CHPA Head Melville Brings Pharma Resume To OTC Learning Curve" - Pink Sheet, 4 October, 2010.).

Reporting directly to Melville, Head likely will join the group's efforts to fight methamphetamine abuse while keeping pseudoephedrine available as a nonprescription decongestant (Also see "Missouri Looks Beyond Electronic Tracking To Rx-Only PSE In Meth Fight" - Pink Sheet, 6 December, 2010.).

Other current legislative priorities for CHPA include promoting cost-effective measures to ensure the quality of imported drugs – such as through good manufacturing practice compliance, lobbying for more FDA funding and stopping cough medicine abuse while protecting the OTC availability of the cough suppressant dextromethorphan.

CHPA recently helped win a battle to keep the popular OTC cough suppressant readily available. It convinced members of an FDA panel that consumer education and pending legislation to restrict underage access to the drug and bulk sales could sufficiently reduce abuse without switching the ingredient to Rx (Also see "DXM Panel Proposes Augmenting, Improving Education To Curb Abuse" - Pink Sheet, 20 September, 2010.).

Head brings with him experience as a lobbyist in the health care insurance and pharmaceutical benefit management industries, as an advisor to former Nebraska Gov. Ben Nelson and most recently as the head senior VP of government affairs at the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.

During Spangler's more than 25 years with CHPA, he gained experience in its legal affairs office. He also held several positions in the president's office, project management and international affairs before assuming his current position. He began his career with CHPA as a legislative analyst, according to the trade group.

CHPA's David Spangler, senior VP of policy and international affairs, general counsel and secretary

CHPA's David Spangler, senior VP of policy and international affairs, general counsel and secretary

Both men hold law degrees – Head's from the University of Nebraska College of Law and Spangler's from the George Washington University National Law Center.

By Elizabeth Crawford

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