Patients are not properly briefed on side effects of medicines, warns study

PATIENTS are not being adequately briefed on the side effects of medicines, according to new research by the Irish Patients’ Association (IPA).

In its Patient Attitudes survey, the IPA found 21% get their information from unregulated sources such as friends, family, the media and internet. One in five did not read the information leaflet included with their medicine.

Those least likely to read these leaflets are the very young (15-24) or the elderly (65+) which, according to the IPA, could have a serious effect on their subsequent treatment outcomes.