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New National Consumer Survey Confirms: Knowing Your Pharmacist Can Improve Your Health

Posted on: Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 06:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest national consumer survey commissioned by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) confirms a simple intervention to improve consumer's health. Consumers who know their pharmacist's name are more likely to know their medicines.

There's a clear relationship between the consumer and his/her pharmacist, and that consumer's knowledge of how to use medications with lower risk of adverse effects and better health outcomes.

Americans spend billions each year on prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. However, many of these dollars are wasted if the medications are used incorrectly. The most expensive medications are the ones that don't work properly -- or worse, cause harm.

Medication misuse often results in health problems of an even greater magnitude than the ailments the medications were prescribed to treat. The APhA consumer survey by Wilson Health Information, LLC showed that many consumers have beliefs or habits that can greatly increase their risk for medication use problems:

* Less than half of respondents (48%) tell their pharmacist about other prescription medications they were taking, while only one in three (32%) disclose the over-the-counter (OTC) medicines they use. * The majority hardly ever or never asked pharmacists questions (58%), and * Only half of respondents (55%) know the active ingredients in their prescription medicines. Consumers are more aware of the main ingredients in their OTC medicines, vitamins or mineral supplements, and herbal or natural products, than those in their prescription drugs.

This can be dangerous because medications are powerful, and must be used with care to protect against side effects or contraindications.

Recognized as one of the most accessible members of the health care team, pharmacists can help consumers get the full value of their medicines. Our survey reveals that consumers who know their pharmacist's name have better medication use habits. They are more likely to:

* Tell their pharmacist the other medicines they are currently taking, * Read product labels all the time (47%), * Know the main ingredients of the prescription medicines they are taking (61%), and * Use their pharmacist as a source of information on medicines (93%).

Today, nearly every American uses prescription and/or over-the-counter medications. However, for millions of Americans, the ease of purchase and pick-up of these powerful medications may lull consumers into a false belief that the medication isn't powerful and doesn't need to be treated with respect. Many do not stop to realize that if medications are strong enough to alter the body to achieve their prescribed effects, they are also strong enough to cause harm if not used correctly. A large part of respecting the power of medications is having the information on how to use them safely and effectively-information pharmacists can provide.

The bottom line is getting to know your pharmacist starts with one easy step: learning their name.

But not enough consumers are tapping this valuable resource. However, most consumers do not make enough use of their pharmacist's experience, education and knowledge of medications. One-third of the consumers surveyed (35%) know their pharmacist's name but are more likely to be on a first name basis with their hair dresser (56%), compared to their pharmacist's (21%).

American Pharmacists Month is a great opportunity for consumers to improve their medication use-and to partner with their pharmacist to do so. As a consumer you should know your medicine: what is the name of the medication, why are you taking it, and how it might make you feel. You should also know your pharmacist-your pharmacist can help you manage your use of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

The goal of American Pharmacists Month is to encourage these consumer- pharmacist interactions around both prescription and OTC medications. These interactions are easier when the partners (the consumer and the pharmacist) introduce themselves to one another and know one another by name.

About American Pharmacists Month

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) launched American Pharmacists Month in October 2004. Expanding from the long-standing National Pharmacy Week, established in 1925, the month-long observance represents the Association's effort to exponentially increase healthcare consumers' understanding of the pharmacist's role in improving medication use and advancing patient care. Johnson & Johnson-Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals and McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals serve as the Founding National Sponsors of American Pharmacists Month.

About the Survey

The "Know Your Medicine / Know Your Pharmacist" survey was commissioned by the American Pharmacists Association and conducted in July 2005 by Wilson Rx (Wilson Health Information, LLC). Source: WilsonRx(TM) Pharmacy Survey, (C)2004 Wilson Health Information, LLC, New Hope, PA. For information about WilsonRx, contact info@WilsonRx.com or visit http://www.wilsonrx.com/.)

Survey Objective: To collect and report information about how consumers interact with and perceive their pharmacist and how their relationship with the pharmacists impacts their knowledge of their health, medicines, and medical treatments.

Survey Sample: 1,565 qualified respondents from a nationally representative panel of 2,490 households (62% response rate).

Statistical Confidence: +/- 2.0 percent.

The American Pharmacists Association is dedicated to improving medication use and advancing patient care. Founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, APhA is the first-established and largest professional association of pharmacists in the United States. Our more than 53,000 members include pharmacists, scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession.

American Pharmacists Association

CONTACT: Gail Street, +1-202-429-7558, and Sandra Kimble,+1-202-429-7537, both of American Pharmacists Association

Web site: http://www.aphanet.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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