The background, aims and of these guidelines Consumers also want information on adverse are expanded in the Clinical effects, risks, interactions and the condition Guidelines. Recommendations in the Clinical for which the medicine was prescribed. Guidelines that also apply to consumers are These issues are outside the scope of these not repeated in the Consumer Guidelines. Consumer Guidelines. However, the Consumer Guidelines contain The Consumers Health Forum of Australia a few important exceptions and additions to held a consumer workshop in 2010 to discuss the Clinical Guidelines. best practice for packaging and labelling of Medication errors in community settings medicines.[8] Consumers made a range of contribute to patient harm and hospital recommendations, including the following: admissions.[2] [3] [4] Unclear, incomplete Positive statements should be used or confusing presentation of medicines to avoid ambiguity of the message. information can increase the opportunity Negative directions may be misleading. for consumers to make errors and cause The active ingredient should be displayed themselves harm. in equal size and prominence as the brand name. Consumers are increasingly able to access their medicines information on-screen through Information relating to the quantity of a number of resources (e.g. the Medicare active ingredient per dose or unit must website, the My Health Record system). be clearly displayed. Providing clear, standardised medicines information in these formats has the potential 1.2 Best practice for medicines to improve patient safety and quality use information to consumers of medicines. Evidence on best practice for provision of For this reason the Commission has developed medicines information to consumers was the Consumer Guidelines to reflect the summarised by and Roughead.[5] of consumers when accessing electronic Evidence included research and guidelines on information about their medicines. print or electronic media, including Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), medicine labels, medicine lists and electronic health records. 1.1 Consumer needs A recent literature review identified studies on the information that consumers want or need about their medicines.[5] Studies show that consistency of information is critical – consumers want clear instructions from their doctor on exactly how to take their medicines, and for this information to be confirmed by their pharmacist.[6] Knowing when and how to use their medicines is an important need.[7]
The background, aims and of these guidelines are expanded in the Clinical Guidelines. Recommendations in the Clinical Guidelines that also apply to consumers are not repeated in the Consumer Guidelines. However, the Consumer Guidelines contain a few important exceptions and additions to the Clinical Guidelines. Medication errors in community settings contribute to patient harm and hospital admissions.[2] [3] [4] Unclear, incomplete or confusing presentation of medicines information can increase the opportunity for consumers to make errors and cause themselves harm. Consumers are increasingly able to access their medicines information on-screen through a number of resources (e.g. the Medicare website, the My Health Record system). Providing clear, standardised medicines information in these formats has the potential to improve patient safety and quality use of medicines. For this reason the Commission has developed the Consumer Guidelines to reflect the of consumers when accessing electronic information about their medicines. 1.1 Consumer needs A recent literature review identified studies on the information that consumers want or need about their medicines.[5] Studies show that consistency of information is critical – consumers want clear instructions from their doctor on exactly how to take their medicines, and for this information to be confirmed by their pharmacist.[6] Knowing when and how to use their medicines is an important need.[7] Consumers also want information on adverse effects, risks, interactions and the condition for which the medicine was prescribed. These issues are outside the scope of these Consumer Guidelines. The Consumers Health Forum of Australia held a consumer workshop in 2010 to discuss best practice for packaging and labelling of medicines.[8] Consumers made a range of recommendations, including the following: Positive statements should be used to avoid ambiguity of the message. Negative directions may be misleading. The active ingredient should be displayed in equal size and prominence as the brand name. Information relating to the quantity of active ingredient per dose or unit must be clearly displayed. 1.2 Best practice for medicines information to consumers Evidence on best practice for provision of medicines information to consumers was summarised by and Roughead.[5] Evidence included research and guidelines on print or electronic media, including Consumer Medicines Information (CMI), medicine labels, medicine lists and electronic health records.
National-guidelines-for-on-screen-display-of-consumer-medicines-October-2016.docx