Americans are not getting correct drug information, says study

Do consumers truly understand how to take their medications and the possible side effects and interactions that can occur as a result? Though the vast majority of study respondents who have recently picked up a prescription drug say they understand how to take their medication (90%), only 60% are aware of the potential interactions with other prescribed medication, and only 58% are aware of interactions with OTC medication they are taking, according to the latest ‘Under the Skin’ survey by ORC Guideline, an infoGROUP company (NASDAQ: IUSA). The study also revealed that 20% of respondents said they have stopped taking a medication altogether because they felt they did not have enough information about it.

“These findings raise important questions about how Americans are getting their drug information and how well they understand it,” said Christine W. Dalzell, Ph.d, Senior Managing Director, ORC Guideline. “Experts cite that approximately 500,000 adverse events occur each year in this country because people misread the instructions on prescription drug labels. Such ‘comprehension confusion’ obviously has the potential to put consumers at great risk,” she said.

The survey also indicated that roughly half (55%) of respondents considered pharmacists and doctors to be a sufficient source for information about their prescriptions, while another 35% did not feel that the printed information supplied by the pharmacy about their prescription was important. Among those who did read drug information supplied by their pharmacy or the drug manufacturer, those that found it hardest to understand fell in the 45-54 age bracket (23%), followed closely by the 55-64 age bracket (22%). “With nearly a quarter of respondents in each of these age brackets indicating they may have a hard time understanding supplied drug information, and with a number of people not bothering to read it at all, there is clearly a need for better dialog between patients, particularly in the middle-aged to senior age groups, and their doctors and pharmacists, to ensure the safety of consumers,” Dalzell said.

This report presents the findings of a telephone survey conducted among a national probability sample of 1,007 adults comprised of 501 men and 506 women 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. Interviewing for this CARAVAN® Survey was completed during the period August 27-30, 2009.