The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) has announced that Julie Aker, former chief executive officer of Concentrics Research, is this year’s recipient of the William Cooley Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Career Achievement Award, recognizing a career defined by scientific innovation, regulatory leadership, and extraordinary contributions to advancing Rx-to-OTC (over-the-counter) switches and consumer access to self-care.

Named in honor of longtime industry leader Dr. William Cooley, the award recognizes individuals whose careers have demonstrated outstanding contributions that have strengthened public health and advanced self-care through sustained and meaningful contributions.

Throughout her career, Aker has played a key role in advancing numerous prescription-to-OTC switches and shaping the consumer behavior research that supports them. Her work designing and conducting label comprehension, self-selection, and actual-use studies has helped advance the scientific frameworks used to assess whether consumers can safely and appropriately use OTC medicines. Respected across both industry and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Aker has long been a trusted and active leader within CHPA’s Regulatory & Scientific Affairs community. Through her engagement with FDA and active involvement in CHPA committees, workshops, and conferences, she has helped members navigate evolving regulatory expectations and strengthen the scientific foundation for self-care products.

“Julie has been at the center of some of the most important OTC switches of the past several decades, helping shape the science that gives regulators confidence and consumers greater access to self-care products,” said CHPA Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Dr. Scott Furness. “Her expertise and credibility have made her a trusted voice with both industry and FDA, and she has never hesitated to share her knowledge to help others succeed. Julie’s impact can be seen across decades of OTC innovation that has expanded consumers’ ability to manage their health, and CHPA is proud to recognize her with this well-deserved honor.”

The 2026 William Cooley Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Career Achievement Award was presented to Aker during CHPA’s annual Regulatory, Scientific & Quality Conference (RSQ) on Sept. 29 at the Bethesda North Marriot Hotel and Conference Center by Erin Oliver, Haleon’s Vice President and Head of U.S. Regulatory Affairs, and CHPA’s 2026 RSQ Planning Committee Chair.

For more information, visit www.chpa.org.