Knowledge is the best medicine

Backgrounder

A Consumer Health Education Program on the Appropriate Use of Medication

Pharmaceutical research and development has produced a steady stream of new and improved medicines which have helped to bring about a substantial increase in life expectancy, improve the quality of life, and to eliminate, reduce, or control a great number of diseases.

When used correctly, medicines play a key role in improving the quality of health care in Canada. At the same time they can reduce both the direct and indirect costs associated with illness and disease. When used inappropriately, though, these same medications can either be ineffective or can actually lead to other problems.

Concern about inappropriate medication use by Canadians led Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies to develop a consumer health education program called Knowledge is the best medicine. The program is designed to raise awareness among consumers about the importance of the appropriate use of medications and the need for Canadians to become active participants in their own overall health care.

Under the Knowledge is the best medicine umbrella, Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies has developed two separate medication use education programs to date. The "Seniors" module is meant to address the needs of Canadians 65 years and older, but can be used by anyone. To date, Rx&D has distributed 3.1 million brochures to Canadians since the program's inception in January of 1994. This program offers several tools which give practical information to consumers about the appropriate use of medications, whether they be prescription, non-prescription, brand name, generic or herbal.

The key component in the module is a small group workshop that is facilitated by a health care professional - a pharmacist, a physician or a nurse. This workshop format allows participants to benefit first-hand from the training, knowledge and experiences of a health professional in their community. Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies, through the Knowledge is the best medicine program, has developed an easy to follow workshop planning guide for the workshop facilitators
as well as an entertaining videos which is intended to both demonstrate the rights and wrongs of medication use and to generate discussion in the workshop.

Each workshop participant also receives both an educational brochure which provides a resource for later reference and a personal medication record in which to record the medications that they are taking, the dosages and other pertinent health information that would be useful in case of emergency.

Since January 1994, Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies has invested more than $9 million in the development, production, distribution, implementation and evaluation of the Knowledge is the best medicine program. While Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies makes all program materials available to Canadians free of charge, it is our network of partners across the country who are key in the delivery of the program at a community level. A very large part of the credit for the success of the Knowledge is the best medicine program must go to our national and provincial partners who include governments, pharmacy associations, medical associations, nurses associations, consumer organizations, private drug plan sponsors and others who believe in, and are committed to, the goal of ensuring the responsible and appropriate use of medication by all Canadians. It is this partnership that gives the program its strength.

Inappropriate use of medications is a significant cost to the Canadian health care system every year. Inappropriate use of medication accounts for significant health consequences to individual Canadians every year. With the Knowledge is the best medicine program Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies offers a practical approach for all of us (manufacturers, health care professionals, public and private drug plan sponsors, insurers, consumers and others) to work together in dealing with these pressing concerns.

Working together works.

Revised:January 15, 2007