Be MedWise.ca is part of a campaign by DIRC to educate Canadians about proper over-the-counter (OTC) drug use

Do Canadians take OTC medicines seriously?

Non-prescriptions are real medicines and need to be taken with care

Toronto, ON. June 20, 2002 - A new and unprecedented survey released today reveals that Canadians are taking over-the-counter (OTC) medicines incorrectly and do not recognize the risks of this behaviour. Conducted by Decima Research Inc., the survey demonstrates an enormous need to educate Canadians about the appropriate use of non-prescription medicines.

Based on these research findings, The Drug Information and Research Centre (DIRC) is launching a national public education campaign entitled - Be MedWise. The DIRC is a resource-based service of the Ontario Pharmacists' Association. Its new Be MedWise program will communicate to Canadians that OTC products are very safe and effective when used properly, but are also real medicines which need to be taken with care.

"Non-prescription medicines play a vital role in our health care system. But OTC drugs are real medicines that must be taken responsibly," said Sherrie Hertz, a drug information pharmacist at the Drug Information and Research Centre and Coalition Chair for the Be MedWise campaign. "For this reason, consumers need to read OTC drug labels, compare ingredients in different products, and understand how to take OTC products correctly."

Consumers dismiss potential dangers of OTC drugs

When it comes to purchasing an OTC medication, most consumers do not seek full information. In fact, only 40% of consumers read the label to identify the active ingredient(s). Only one-third of consumers (34%) read the dosage level, while 26% read the symptoms it treats, 23% read the label for possible side effects and a startling 18% - less than one in five consumers actually read the directions for usage. And, just one in 10 consumers look at warnings about usage with other OTC medications, either when buying the medicine or using it for the first time.

About 58% of adult Canadians (14 million) report taking an OTC medication in the past six months, yet many consumers are overlooking important information that could aid them in taking OTC drugs more effectively. For example, more than half (54%) of Canadians surveyed could not name the active ingredient in common brands of OTC pain relievers.

Most consumers are unaware that many OTC medications contain the same active ingredient, however, they treat different symptoms. For example, a cold medication may contain the same active ingredient as a pain reliever - and if taken together could have potentially serious side effects. In fact, only one-third (34%) of Canadians compare the active ingredients of different medications they take to see if any are the same.

The survey also revealed that 16% of Canadians (2.2. million adults) say they have taken more than the recommended dose of a non-prescription medicine at a single time and 15% admit to taking more than the recommended daily dose. A further 35% of Canadians (5 million adults) admit to taking the next dose of non-prescription medication sooner than directed on the label.

Misuse may occur if consumers do not take the time to read drug labels and compare ingredients when they use more than one medication at the same time, or if they use the medicine incorrectly. Like prescription medicines, information found on OTC product labels must be followed closely.

"OTC medicines are very safe and effective when taken as directed," says Hertz. "That's why the Be MedWise campaign is so important."

Getting the message out

To help educate Canadians that OTC medicines should be taken with care, the Be MedWise campaign will launch a new web site - www.bemedwise.ca. The web site provides consumers with information on how to read drug labels and know their medicine - including its active ingredients and knowing the importance of taking the correct dosage at the right time.

While this education tool is available to help Canadians use over-the-counter medications safely, when in doubt, they should always seek the advice of a health professional.

"An important message of this public education effort is to encourage more Canadians to seek out the advice of pharmacists and other health professionals about how to take OTC medicines correctly," says Hertz. "With the increasing availability of OTC drugs, this dialogue is more important than ever before."

The Drug Information and Research Centre (DIRC) is a resource centre that provides drug information to subscribers, consultant and educational services, and collaboration with partners in research initiatives. Subscribers include community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, physicians, nurses, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and the public. DIRC is owned and operated by the Ontario Pharmacists' Association, a voluntary, non-profit professional association of pharmacists and pharmacists-in-training in Ontario.

Decima Research Inc. conducted the survey of 1,171 Canadian adults who had taken a non-prescription medication in the past six months. The survey was conducted between January 18 and January 27, 2002 and is accurate to within +/- 2.86%, 19 times out of 20. The national survey and the Be MedWise campaign were developed through an unrestricted educational grant from McNeil Consumer Healthcare.

For more information, please contact:

Heather Middleton
Environics Communications
(416) 920-9000 ext. 437
hmiddleton@pr.environics.ca