Study: Americans Confused on Drug Benefits vs. Risks

Sept. 13, 2011 -- U.S. adults are not fully aware of drug benefits and harms, new research shows.

Many also do not understand what the FDA drug approval process means for the safety of a drug, says study researcher Steven Woloshin, MD.

"If they have these mistaken beliefs, they may make choices and expose themselves to harm," he tells WebMD. Woloshin is a professor of medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and co-director of the VA Outcomes Group at White River Junction VA Medical Center.

However, Woloshin found that when given more information, consumers do make better choices about drugs.

His study is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Improving Drug Choices

Woloshin wanted to see whether simple explanations about drugs improve people's choices.

First, people were asked to choose between one of two cholesterol-lowering drugs. One had been approved because it lowered cholesterol. Another was approved because it reduced heart attacks.

The people were assigned to one of three groups:

• One group received no explanation.
• A second group was told that outcomes such as cholesterol lowering don't always mean heart attacks will be reduced.
• A third group was told the same information as the second group but were also told to ask for the drug that reduces heart attacks.

Woloshin found that 71% of the second and third groups chose the drug that reduced heart attacks. But just 59% of the group given no information did.

Next, the people were assigned to one of three groups and asked to choose between two different heartburn drugs. One was newly approved. The other had been approved for eight years.

Again, Woloshin assigned them to one of three groups:

• One group received no explanation.
• A second group was told it takes time to establish the safety of a new drug.
• A third group was told the same information as the second group, but were also told to look for the drug with a longer safety record.

Woloshin found that 53% of the second and third groups chose the older drug. But just 34% of the group getting no information did.

When the people were asked what they would do if their doctor suggested they take the drug only known to lower cholesterol, the group getting information plus advice did best. While 61% of those given information plus advice said they would request the drug known to reduce heart attacks, 58% of those only given information would. And just 49% of those given no information or advice did.

Woloshin says the studies prove that ''the public need more information, not just numbers. They also need explanations."

The explanations used in the two studies were just 23 and 37 words long, he says. He says the FDA could easily incorporate this information to accompany drugs.

"If you read the whole package insert, you might get some of this information," he says. However, he points out that few patients do so.