***TASK***
the task is to simplify the input abstract of a biomedical literature

***INPUT***
the input is the abstract of a biomedical literature

***OUTPUT***
the output is the simplified abstract for the input abstract of a biomedical literature

***DOCUMENTATION***

***EXAMPLES***

Input: We identified two studies that met our selection criteria: a controlled interrupted time series study evaluating a regulatory policy involving the monitoring of prescribing of benzodiazepines; and a controlled before‒after study of an educational policing involving mailed educational materials on prescribing for physicians and Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) members as well as an intervention to regulate drug reimbursement. We are uncertain about the effects on medicine use of a regulatory policy involving the monitoring of prescribing with triplicate prescriptions, compared with no regulatory intervention (very low certainty evidence). We are also uncertain about the effects on medicine use, assessed through doctors' prescribing, and costs of an educational policy involving mailed educational materials on prescribing for physicians and HMO members, compared to no educational intervention or an intervention to regulate drug reimbursement (very low certainty evidence). Neither of the included studies measured healthcare utilization, health outcomes, or additional costs, if any, to patients. We are uncertain of the effects of educational or regulatory policies targeting prescribers due to very limited evidence of very low certainty. The impacts of these policies therefore need to be evaluated rigorously using appropriate study designs. Evaluations are needed across a range of settings, including low- and middle-income countries, and across different types of prescribers and medicines.
Output:

The review authors found two relevant studies. Both of these studies were from the USA and both assessed policies that were introduced in the late 1990s. The first study assessed a policy that aimed to get doctors to prescribe antihistamines that were cheaper but considered to be just as good as other antihistamines. In one part of the study, letters were sent to doctors and to their patients telling them about the new policy, and giving them information about the antihistamine. In another part of the study, letters were only sent to doctors. The second study assessed a policy that aimed to get doctors to prescribe fewer benzodiazepines to certain types of patients. This policy required doctors in the State of New York to fill in three copies of the same form each time they prescribed benzodiazepines. Pharmacies then sent one of these copies to a state surveillance unit that monitored what doctors were prescribing. The study compared these doctors to doctors in the State of New Jersey, who were not monitored in the same way. Because the evidence from both of these studies was of very low certainty, we do not know what effects these policies had on people’s medicine use. We also do not know whether these policies had any effect on people’s health or their use of healthcare services or on costs because the studies did not measure this. How up to date is this review? The review authors searched for studies that had been published up to March 2018.