|
|
For Immediate Release |
| October 23, 2002 | |
| Contact: Carol McKay | |
| 202-835-3323 | |
| media@nclnet.org |
Consumers
Unaware of Medicine Cabinet Dangers
National Consumers League
Launches Campaign to Educate
Consumers about Dangers of OTC Pain
Medications
WASHINGTON,
DC—More
than half (64%) of all respondents in a national survey are unconcerned about
the possibility of suffering serious side effects, including stomach bleeding or
ulcers, as a result of taking popular over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory
pain medications, such as Advil® or Aleve®, according to
data released today by the National Consumers League (NCL). The survey, which
was unveiled at a news conference today, is part a new NCL campaign to educate
the 30 million consumers who daily take the pain relievers known as
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or (NSAIDs), about the possible dangers of
these products.
“People mistakenly assume that if a prescription is not required
for a medication that is sold in a drugstore or a supermarket, then it must be
safe,” said Linda Golodner,
president of the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumers
advocacy organization. “As a result, consumers who too often self-diagnose and
self-treat without seeking a doctor’s advice unwittingly put themselves at
risk for potentially deadly consequences.”
Research has demonstrated that more than 16,500 people die each year and 103,000
are hospitalized from serious NSAID-related complications. Additionally, studies
have shown that the use of OTC NSAIDs increases the risk of stomach bleeding by
two to three times and that most serious side effects can occur without warning
symptoms. An advisory committee to the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) met recently to discuss the need for label changes for
OTC NSAID products after considering these potential risks. While the committee
voted to require additional information on product labeling, action on these
safety recommendations is still pending before the FDA.
“Unfortunately,
when consumers self-treat for pain, they don’t take into account their
personal risk factors and the likelihood of side effects or adverse events,”
said Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MPH, a rheumatology fellow at the
The survey also revealed that:
·
Only 5 percent of respondents discussed the potential risks for
serious side effects such as stomach bleeding, ulcers, and kidney and liver
problems with their physicians;
·
Two out of five said they’d never talked with a pharmacist,
doctor, or health professional about OTC medications; and
·
Nearly 30 percent of respondents don’t usually read OTC label
instructions because they think they already know what to take.
“This is just the beginning of what we’re hoping to uncover over the next few months with more research,” Golodner added. “It’s clear that what we’re showing here is just a snapshot of this growing health care management problem.”
Following the launch of this campaign, NCL will produce a series of public service announcements and provide consumer-friendly information on the dangers of OTC painkillers at nclnet.org. Today’s survey results and a new free brochure for consumers, “Over-the-Counter Pain Meds: What Helps, What Hurts,” are available at www.nclnet.org.
The
National
Consumers League, founded in 1899, is
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