JOURNAL OF ASIAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS OF PHARMACY - Volume 7, January - December, 2018

Pages: 01-07
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Importance of risk/benefit communication in patient care and pharmacy education: An expert opinion

Author: Michiko Yamamoto

Category: Pharmacy

Abstract:

Appropriate risk/benefit communication about the medical treatment is necessary in ensuring the safety of patients. This facilitates patients' decision-making with healthcare professionals leading to optimal patient care. Risk communication is an essential component of risk analysis, as well as risk assessment and risk management. The provision of information about treatment and pharmaceutical products to patients in an appropriate fashion is necessary to perform risk communication. Potential goals of risk communication include "sharing information" and "changing beliefs and behavior". The purpose of this article is to discuss how to evaluate the usability of drug information leaflets scientifically as part of risk/benefit communication effectively and to recognize its importance in pharmacy education and adopt it.

As to the official drug information (written information) for patients, Drug Guides for Patients (DGPs) are provided in Japan whereas Package Leaflets (PLs) and Medication Guides are provided in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US), respectively. We conducted comparative verification of the characteristics of each of those leaflets. In terms of the usability of the written information, it is necessary to evaluate its readability, understandability, and accessibility. One of the useful methods to evaluate those factors is user testing involving patients or consumers. Here, I would like to emphasize the importance of risk/benefit communication in pharmacy education and practical exercises for the appropriate use of medicines in Japan.

Keywords: risk and benefit communication, drug information for patients, decisionmaking, readability, understandability, accessibility, written information