The Ordering of Over-the-Counter Pharmaceutical Label Components

Abstract

Recently there has been increasing interest in enabling consumers to more easily acquire information from over-the-counter (OTC) nonprescription pharmaceutical labels. Standardization of the format of labels is being considered by industry, government, and health-related professional organizations as a way to facilitate their usability. Potentially standardization could assist consumers in quickly locating information that they need to use the medication safely. The purpose of the present research is to determine whether consumers have a consistent preference for the ordering of information (component headings) on OTC drug labels. If so then this could serve as a partial basis for standardization. Results showed relatively consistent orders across four drugs and three participant groups (adults attending a flea market, senior citizens, and undergraduates). In general, the data indicate that people prefer that labels first provide what the drug is used for (indications); second provide information on associated hazards (warnings, cautions, drug interaction precautions) and use (directions); and third provide information on active ingredients. The remaining components were preferred in the following order: whether the package is safety sealed, inactive ingredients, storage instructions, manufacturer information, and then finally the bar code. Given the reasonable consistent orders generated by participants it seems plausible that if standardization were implemented that the ordering would roughly reflect this basic ordering.