Tell Congress That Patients Need Standardized And Clear Information About Their Prescription Drugs
Today, there is no universal standard for content or format of the medication information that can be included with prescription drugs dispensed to patients. In fact, there is no requirement that this information be included alongside the prescription at all!
Practically, this means that the printed information, if included, typically attached to prescription medication, known as Patient Medication Information (PMI), could be vastly different depending on which pharmacy dispensed the medication.
This can lead to confusion, difficulty in adhering to medication instructions, potentially adverse drug events, and unnecessary healthcare costs.
Congress should require the Food and Drug Administration to create a standardized, paper format PMI based upon documented cognitive science research in order to ensure that patients can efficiently read and comprehend critical drug information, thereby preventing costly errors and increasing compliance with prescribing instructions. Federally standardized Nutrition Fact labeling accompanies the food we consume, as it should be with the medications we consume! Imagine, if every prescription you received included a PMI in a standardized, easy-to-read format with readable font sizes.
The bipartisan Patients' Right to Know Their Medication Act (H.R. 6519) amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require standardized, FDA approved, paper format PMI to be provided with prescription drugs distributed and dispensed for outpatient use. This bill will bolster patient safety at a time when nearly half of Americans used at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days.
Tell your Member of Congress to support the Patients' Right to Know Their Medication Act of 2022. Patients need a mandated standard for the printed patient medication information and a requirement that such printed PMI be distributed with all prescription drugs dispensed to patients.
Dear [Representative],
Patients across the country are at risk of experiencing adverse drug events and incurring unnecessary healthcare costs due to inconsistent, unreliable, and difficult-to-understand prescription medication information.
Today, there is no content or format standard for patient medication information (PMI), which typically accompanies prescription drugs dispensed to patients. PMI contains critical details about using and administering the medications, including directions, warnings, and side effects. Without standardization, patients and their caregivers are vulnerable to confusion, difficulty adhering to the medication instructions, and costly health and financial consequences.
To tackle these important patient safety issues head-on, the Patients' Right To Know Their Medication Act of 2022 (H.R. 6519) was introduced to create a standardized, paper format PMI based upon documented cognitive science research. This policy change ensures patients can efficiently read and comprehend crucial drug information.
I urge you to stand up for patient safety and cosponsor the Patients' Right to Know Their Medication Act (H.R. 6519) now!
