The right choice

It is generally agreed among health professionals that patients should be given every opportunity to control their own health by participating in the decision-making process surrounding their treatment.

But putting that theory into practice is not as easy as it sounds. Patients diagnosed with a serious illness may be in a state of confusion or shock and unable to take in the implications of their condition, never mind take an active part in a discussion of the treatment options leading to a rational and informed decision.

And once treatment is underway, it may not occur to them to question whether the medication prescribed by the doctor is actually the best alternative or if there might be more convenient or more effective options available that cause fewer side effects or less disruption to their lifestyle.

In the UK 12-18 October was designated Ask About Medicines Week - a nationwide initiative to help people understand about their medicines and make the best use of them. Supported by a broad range of partner organisations, including charities, patient support groups, professional organisations, the UK Government and pharmaceutical companies, the initiative aims to encourage effective communication between patients, their carers and the healthcare sector.

There is an abundance of information available, especially on the internet - the problem is sorting out the wheat from the chaff. Ironically, whereas drug manufacturers are not legally allowed to provide more than the most basic information to the general public about their products, other respectable-sounding organisations are free to set up telephone helplines and websites that may be touting quack theories or be nothing more than a cover for selling unproven and unregulated herbal remedies.

There are a number of patient support initiatives now being set up, such as Roche's Xenical patient support service through International SOS (Manufacturing Chemist, July 2003) and the new GSK scheme to advise patients taking Paxil CR, but these are available only to existing rather than prospective patients.

To guide patients towards sources of health information and to help them judge if it meets their needs, Ask About Medicines Week and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) have published a new booklet, Your Health and Medicines Information Guide and Directory. The booklet advises people on how to ask about health and whom to approach with their questions. It also contains a list of sources and internet-based links to get them started on their search.

The truth is out there somewhere - it is really just a matter of knowing where to look and and how to recognise it when you find it.