Doctors Fail to Communicate Information Concerning Prescription Drugs
Many doctors often fail to provide patients with the necessary information when writing a new prescription, according to a story published by the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The study in question, conducted in 1999 at two Sacramento hospitals, found that doctors advised patients on the length of time the patients were to take the medication only 34% of the time, and described possible negative side effects of the medication only 35% of the time.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends asking your doctor certain questions when getting a new prescription, including:
- What is the name of the medicine?
- Can I substitute a generic version?
- What is the dosage?
- What are the side effects?
Please go to the following websites for more information: Archives of Internal Medicine, NIH Web site on drug safety.