Entry bubble Drug Facts Boxes

By: Colleen | February 18, 2009 | Category: Health

When it comes to dealing with medicine, things can get tricky. Can you take one type of med with another? Does name brand vs. generic medsmake a difference? What if you mix an over-the-counter drug with a prescription?

And to top it off, when you see an ad in a magazine or newspaper, it's accompanied by a full page of fine-print information about the medicine. Who has the time, or the vision, to read all that?

After a study conducted by Dartmouth was released this week, you might find it easier to get the information you need about the medicines you see advertised.

"User-friendly boxes" would replace the direct-to-consumer drug ads you currently see. These concise "drug facts boxes" are quite similar to the nutrition facts found on food items. These boxes will include facts not found in the current summaries like:

  • The year the drug got approval from the Food and Drug Administration
  • How common the side effects were in clinical trials
  • The advantages of the drug over older drugs

Would these new boxes be advantageous to you? Would it influence you to ask your doctor for a specific medicine?

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