What did the study released today show?
The study was done to see if CMI is meeting the goals as required by the law. The goals contained in law said that 75 percent of consumers should receive useful written information with their prescriptions by the year 2000, and 95% by the year 2006. The study showed that 94% of consumers are receiving some form of CMI. But it also showed that 75% of the CMI met the minimal criteria for usefulness. The year 2006 goal was not been met. This study showed that some of the information in CMI has improved since the last study done in 2001. But directions for the use of the medicines was often missing or not complete, and the comprehensibility and legibility of the information was generally poor. The information is not easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and easy for consumers to use. For more information on the study, see this FDA Consumer article about the study, Prescription Drug Leaflets Need Improvement. 5. How does FDA decide if CMI is useful for consumers? The 1996 law, Public Law 104-18
