Suzanne L. West|Linda Squiers|Lauren McCormack|Brian Southwell|Emily S. Brouwer|Mahima Ashok|Linda J Lux|Vanessa Boudewyns|Amie C. O’Donoghue|Helen W. Sullivan
Communicating quantitative risks and benefits in promotional prescription drug labeling or print advertising
RTI International|RTI International|RTI International|RTI International|University of Kentucky|RTI International|RTI International|RTI International|RTI International|United States Food and Drug Administration|United States Food and Drug Administration
abstract purpose food drug cosmetic act promotional materials prescription drugs must strike fair balance presentation risks benefits best present information clear sought determine presentation quantitative risk benefit information drug advertising labeling influences consumers patients clinicians information processing knowledge behavior assessing available empirical evidence methods used pubmed literature search limiting articles published english 1990 forward two reviewers independently reviewed titles abstracts inclusion reviewed full texts determine communicated riskbenefit information either numerically eg percent versus nonnumerically eg using text increased risk ii numerically using different formats eg 25 patients one four patients use pictographs abstracted information included articles standardized evidence tables research team identified total 674 relevant publications 52 met inclusion criteria 37 focused drugs results conclusions presenting numeric information appears improve understanding risks benefits relative nonnumeric presentation presenting numeric nonnumeric information possible may best practice single specific format graphical approach emerged consistently superior numeracy health literacy also deserve empirical attention moderators copyright 2013 john wiley amp sons ltd