(7) APhA-ASP supports the individualization of patient medication leaflets in an effort to tailor the information to that specific patient. This includes but is not limited to: the offering of large-type leaflets and the inclusion of specific information

R2PRT: Individualization of Patient Medication Leaflets. - Wording/action:
(7) APhA-ASP supports the individualization of patient medication leaflets in an effort to tailor the information to that specific patient. This includes but is not limited to: the offering of large-type leaflets and the inclusion of specific information based on patient age.

Reasons for the Action(s) / Pros and Cons:

As the elderly population continues to rise in the United States, it is important for us to adapt and make the lives of our elderly patients a bit easier. Often times the elderly simply do not read the patient insert because they cannot see the tiny print. Also, the elderly are at increase risk of drug related problems (more so than a perfectly healthy middle aged person) so it’s important that they become familiar with side effects and a course of action if something goes wrong. Even if the pharmacist counsels on every bit contained in the leaflet, it is likely the patient will not remember all of the information. Therefore, the patient leaflet is a valuable resource for patients and it’s only effective if it is readable, so the offering of a large-print patient leaflet on a request basis would certainly benefit the elderly!
Patients of all age receive the same patient medication leaflet. Special dosing and adverse effects vary greatly, especially between the very young and the very old or those who are pregnant or nursing. By tailoring the information included on a patient information leaflet to the specific patient, there is a better chance of the patient fully reading the insert rather than skimming the papers because it seems unrelated to them.
This would actually decrease the amount of paper a pharmacy uses, as only information pertinent to each specific patient would be printed out. Based on the patient’s age in the computer, the operating system could be set to print out in 3 major categories in which significant medication differences exist: the elderly, children and women of childbearing age.

Jennifer Caggiano ; 570-470-0820 ; jmc74@temple.edu ; Temple University School of Pharmacy