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Barbara Kram, Editor | December 12, 2006
Almost 9 in 10 adults in
Great Britain have confidence
that medicine is safe.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) commissioned a programme of research by Ipsos MORI to find out what the public and healthcare professionals think about the risks and benefits associated with medicines, medical devices and equipment. It also sought views on how well these products are regulated and on the communication of their risks and benefits. The research involved both quantitative surveys and focus group discussions.
Research Reports
Key findings from the general public focus group discussions showed that the public’s opinions are often based on personal experience or the experience of friends and family, but their general approach to taking medicines is cautious. Most of them say they read leaflets about medicines and their side effects. Some say they don’t really know until they have tried something for themselves. The discussions also suggested that confidence in medicines and devices stems from an overall confidence in doctors, whom the public trust to weigh up the risks and benefits.
The surveys showed that:
* Almost 9 in 10 adults in Great Britain are confident about the safety of medicines (88%) and medical devices (83%).
* Only 2% of them spontaneously identify MHRA as the regulator. The majority (76%) would consult their doctor if they wished to report side effects of medicines, though only 47% would consult their doctor if they wished to report a problem with a medical device.
* Over one in five (23%) say they always weigh up the risks and benefits of a medicine before they decide whether to take it or not, and just under one in five (18%) do so for medical devices.
* In seeking information about the risks and benefits of medicines, 61% have approached doctors and 41% have spoken with pharmacists. Almost 9 out of 10 people would trust a doctor to provide this kind of information. Pharmacists are also well trusted to provide information (by 64%).
Key findings from Healthcare Professionals
In focus group discussions, pharmacists, hospital physicians and nurses all said that their experience of using a particular medicine or device without any complications was important in gaining confidence. Surgeons gained confidence from their colleagues’ recommendations. Though GPs generally have high levels of confidence in medicines and medical devices, they felt that user errors posed the greatest risks.
The surveys showed that:
* Almost 90% of doctors think that medicines are adequately regulated in this country.
