Pharmaceutical labels may need to be simplified if they are to become more dynamic for patients and doctors.

This is the suggestion of new research in the US, which was carried out by scientists at the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine and published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

It found that pharmaceutical labels for prescription drugs now list an average of 70 possible side effects, with many edging up past 100.

Lead author Dr Jon Duke said this information is mostly to prevent potential legal action, but could result in both physicians and patients being overwhelmed.

He recommended that pharma labels should be simplified to present information in a dynamic way that is tailored to individual patients' needs.

"We can't stop the growing wave of drug information, but we can do a better job of presenting it efficiently to healthcare providers," remarked Dr Duke.

Earlier this month, designer Tim Clarke told Pharmaceutical Technology magazine that well-packaged medicines with clear pharma Fix-a-Form labels can help patients to better understand what they have been given and how they should take it.

Denny Bros Ltd, 25 May 2011