Bayer: Aspirin is an everyday wonder

A new survey conducted by Bayer has revealed that four out of five Americans aged over 40 think that aspirin is a “simple everyday wonder”.

Aspirin, despite the name being embedded into several languages across the world, is still considered to be a Bayer trademark in many countries and there is a high degree of public awareness about the benefits of the drug.

However, those surveyed by the German company found that only half of subjects at risk from heart attacks, or who have had a heart attack, take aspirin to reduce the risk of this happening.

Additionally, despite the fact that 74 per cent of people in the US know that aspirin can reduce the risk of death in heart attack victims, less than a quarter carry tablets around with them.

Dr Michael Solomon, a consumer behaviour expert and visiting professor of marketing at the Haub School of Business at St Joseph’s University, commented: “When it comes to decision-making, there is a very clear gap between people’s intentions and their actual behaviours.”

He added that this could be because with some treatments, benefits are easily felt, like having a fresh breath after using a mouthwash. However, disease prevention products like aspirin do not have these tangible effects, Dr Solomon surmised.

Acetylsalicyclic acid has been in use since 1889 and the aspirin name followed soon afterwards. However, Bayer lost its trademark in the US and the UK during World War One after they were auctioned off when German foreign assets were seized.