Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16281

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

van Trigt AM, de Jong-van den Berg LT, Pasman M, Haaijer-Ruskamp FM, Willems J, Tromp TF.
Information about drugs in family magazines.
Pharm World Sci 1995 Mar 24; 17:(2):48-53
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7795558

Abstract:

Family magazines can play an important role in the diffusion of medical information and information regarding drugs to a ‘lay audience’. We describe what kind of drugs are discussed in the family magazines and which information regarding these drugs is given. Furthermore, we look into the information sources for journalists; special attention is paid to the role of the pharmacist: is (s)he recognized by journalists as one of the experts on drugs? Two approaches were used in order to answer the above described research questions: a content analysis of family magazines and in-depth interviews of journalists. Gynaecological products as well as drugs for the central nervous system receive much attention in family magazines. The kind of information given about drugs is limited. Only part of the publications pays attention to side-effects. Patients asking questions about drugs in response to publications in family magazines know the name of a drug but are rarely informed about other aspects of the therapy, such as side-effects. In the provision of information physicians and medical specialists play an important role as sources of information for journalists. There is, however, until now no role for the pharmacist as a source of information on drugs in family magazines.

Keywords:
* Drug Therapy */adverse effects * Health Education* * Netherlands * Newspapers * Pharmaceutical Preparations */adverse effects * Pharmacists