Partnership For Self-Care Drug Interaction Package Sent To Pharmacists
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
The Partnership for Self-Care, a consumer education initiative between the American Pharmaceutical Association and McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has begun sending packages to over 50,000 pharmacists containing "the latest scientific review of drug-drug interactions involving OTC medications," prescription pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements.
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The Partnership for Self-Care, a consumer education initiative between the American Pharmaceutical Association and McNeil Consumer Healthcare, has begun sending packages to over 50,000 pharmacists containing "the latest scientific review of drug-drug interactions involving OTC medications," prescription pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. The partnership was motivated to focus the second year of its ongoing campaign on the issue of drug interactions because a survey conducted for APhA showed 48% of those polled were unaware of the potential risks from taking an OTC pain reliever and an Rx drug at the same time. The packages include a technical handbook to assist the pharmacist in looking up potential interactions and "free tools for their patients." Also included is a brochure providing steps consumers can take to prevent drug-drug interactions, as well as a detachable personal medication record on which patients can keep track of all of the OTCs, prescription medications and dietary supplements they are taking. The partnership has developed a TV news release that begins: "You're queasy and feeling a bit dizzy. Your head is pounding. Sounds like you're coming down with something. Well, think again. What about the medicines you take? Your symptoms might be a signal that you've mixed medicines you shouldn't have." The release was available Sept. 28-29 for TV stations to download via a satellite link. The three-year partnership began last year with the shipment of packages describing how to select medications (1 (Also see "McNeil, APhA Team Up For Consumer Education On OTC Usage" - Pink Sheet, 2 Nov, 1998.)). In a separate campaign, FDA's Office of Women's Health and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores recently released a similar brochure to educate women on the proper use of medications as part of a program called "Take Time To Care" (2 (Also see "In Brief: Women's medicine use" - Pink Sheet, 23 Mar, 1998.)). The brochure advises women to "read the label, avoid problems, ask questions and keep a record." A form is provided for women to log their use of OTC drugs, prescription medications and supplements to show to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse. |