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Be An Active Member of Your Health Care Team

Speak up

The more information your health care team members know about you, the better they
can develop a plan of care tailored to you. ALL of the members of your team need to
know:

Your medical history
Any allergies and sensitivities you have
The medications you take routinely and occasionally – prescription and over-the-
counter
Any dietary supplements you use, including vitamins and herbals
Other therapies you use
Anything that may affect your ability to use the medication

Ask Questions

Your health care team members help you make the best-informed choices, but you
have to ask the right questions. When you meet with a team member, have your
questions written down and take notes.

You may also want to bring along a friend or relative to help you understand and
remember the answers.

Use the Question Guide at the end of this article to help you gather the information you
need from your health care team. If you don’t understand an answer, ask again.

Learn the Facts

Before you purchase a prescription or over-the-counter medicine, learn and
understand as much about it as you can, including:

Generic and brand names
Active ingredients
Proper uses – (indications/contraindications)
Instructions
Warnings and precautions
Interactions-with food, dietary supplements, other medicines
Side effects/ adverse reactions
Expiration dates

Drug information designed for the consumer is available from a variety of sources –
your pharmacy, the manufacturer, the library, the bookstore and the internet. If there is
something you don’t understand, ask your health care team.

Balance the Benefits and Risks – Make Your Decision

After you have exchanged all the information, weigh all your options. At this point you
must decide if the benefits you hope to achieve from the medicine outweigh its known
risks. The final choice is yours.

Follow Directions

When you are ready to use the medicine, maximize the benefits and minimize the risks
by following the instructions printed on the drug label:

Read the label every time you fill your prescription – before you leave the
pharmacy. Be sure you have the right medicine and understand how to use it.
Read the label every time you are about to use the medicine – to be sure it’s the
right medicine, for the right patient, in the right amount, in the right way, at the
right time.
Take the recommended dose exactly as prescribed – no matter how tempted
you are to use more to feel better faster.
Finish all the medicine as directed – even if you start to feel better before all your
medicine is completed.

Report Back to the Team

Pay attention to how you feel and notify your health care team of any problems.
If you have doubts that the medicine is working effectively, don’t stop taking it without
checking with the team. Some medications take longer to show a benefit, and some
need to be withdrawn gradually to decrease undesirable effects. If you experience a
side effect, let your health care team know immediately. An adjustment in the dosage
or a change in medication may be needed.

Go to www.fda.gov/cder or call 1-888-INFO-FDA for more information about how to be
an active member of your health care team and additional drug information.

When it comes to using medicine, there is no such thing as completely safe. All
medicines have risks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a
drug means that the benefits outweigh the known risks that are outlined on the drug’s
label.

Physicians, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists and YOU make up your health
care team. To reduce the risks related to using medicines and to get the maximum
benefit, you need to play an active role on the team.

QUESTION GUIDE

Use this guide to gather the information you need to know from your health care team.

What are the brand and generic names of the medicine? Can I use a generic
form?
What is the medicine for and what effect should I expect? Does this drug replace
any other medicine I have been using?
How and when will I use it, what amount will I use, and for how long? What do I do
if I miss a dose?
Should I avoid any other medicines, (prescription or over-the-counter), dietary
supplements, drinks, foods or activities while using this drug?
When should I notice a difference or improvement? When should I report back to
the team? Will I need to have any testing to monitor this drug’s effects?
Can this medicine be used safely with all my other medications and therapies?
Could there be interactions?
What are the possible side effects? What do I do if a side effect occurs?
What other medicines or therapies could be used to treat this condition? How
do the risks and benefits compare?
How and where do I store this medicine?
Where and how can I get written information about this medicine: What other
sources of information can I use to make my decision?

For more information, visit our web site at www.fda.gov/cder or call 1-888-INFO-FDA.

Article by The Department of Health & Human Services