Developing alternative over-the-counter medicine label formats: How do they compare when evaluated by consumers?

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Human Factors Engineering
• Consumer Health

Background:

• The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) proposed a standardized over-the-counter (OTC) medicine label.
• Previous consumer feedback indicated mixed opinions on the 2012 proposal and limited evidence for the 2014 revised label's usability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the usability of alternative OTC medicine label formats for standardization.
• To explore consumer preferences and perspectives on different label designs.

Main Methods:

• Four alternative label formats were developed: TGA's 'Medicine Information,' U.S. 'Drug Facts,' and two consumer-suggested formats ('Medicine Facts,' 'Consumer Desires').
• Usability testing involved five cohorts of 10 participants each, evaluating one of the alternative labels or an existing comparator label for diclofenac.
• Participants completed a questionnaire on information retrieval and understanding, followed by a semi-structured interview.

Main Results:

• All four alternative label formats enabled consumers to find and understand key information effectively.
• The existing comparator label performed poorly in terms of information accessibility and comprehension.
• Consumer preferences favored the 'Consumer Desires' and 'Drug Facts' formats over the TGA's proposed label, influenced by factors like perceived usability, design, and content organization.

Conclusions:

• All developed alternative OTC medicine label formats demonstrated satisfactory usability for standardization.
• User testing and consumer feedback are crucial for refining OTC labeling policies to ensure they are evidence-based.