CHAIN DRUG LEADERS WARN AGAINST MEDGUIDE OVERUSE

Chain drugstore industry leaders are warning Congressthat, instead of improving patient knowledge about prescriptiondrugs, overuse of FDA patient medication guidescould have the opposite effect.

In a statement to the Senate Health, Education, Laborand Pensions Committee, the National Association ofChain Drug Stores (NACDS) expressed concern about proposalsthat "could lead to the unnecessary approval ofMedGuides outside the scope of the FDA's original intentionto require them only for a few products which pose a‘serious or significant concern.'"

Already >1500 individual drug products must be dispensedwith MedGuides. Arguing that FDA-requiredMedGuides may not be the most effective way to educatepatients for all medications, NACDS said that these pamphlets"should remain a resource only for medicationswhich pose a serious or significant concern."