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Evaluation of facsimile cards for pharmacy-access products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine.

Chanda S, Sansgiry SS

College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate label characteristics (type size) of facsimile cards, which are placed in nonprescription-product areas of pharmacies to provide drug-related information and guide consumers to the pharmacist for pharmacy-access medications containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Six of eight major community chain pharmacies and grocery stores in Houston during the month of February 2006 that carried facsimile cards. PARTICIPANTS: Not applicable. INTERVENTION: 187 facsimile cards for brand-name and generic pharmacy-access medications containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine were evaluated for readability of information provided. Type size of printed drug-related information was measured with a compugraphic point system scale (1 inch = 72 points). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Readability of label characteristics, particularly type size, of printed information for brand-name and generic pharmacy-access medications containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. RESULTS: Median type size of drug-related printed information on facsimile cards was 4.00 points. For 172 cards (91.98%), the type size of printed information was below the Food and Drug Administration requirement of 6 points for nonprescription medication labeling. CONCLUSION: Because of small type size, consumers may have difficulty reading information on facsimile cards for pharmacy-access products. Federal regulations or voluntary efforts are needed to improve and standardize information on facsimile cards for pharmacy-access medications.

Published 14 January 2008 in J Am Pharm Assoc (2003), 48(1): 52-7.
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