Are You "Medicine Smart™?" --
Getting Involved in October & Beyond
"Talk About Prescriptions" Month is a great time to organize a safe medicine use communication program for the general
public, patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, community businesses and social/service organizations, clubs and health fairs. This October
(and beyond) the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) urges you to encourage every consumer, patient,
and caregiver in your community to take time to learn how to themselves become - or to help others to become "Medicine
Smart™." Here are some ideas and links to resources you can use to get started:
- Download and distribute copies of a medicine list to every member of your family, your neighbors, club members,
and co-workers. Click here for several online sites where medicine lists are
available at no cost.
- Download and display NCPIE's series of three "Medicine
Smart™" mini-posters. Where's the best place to display them - wherever people congregate. That includes lunch and
break rooms, on work bulletin boards, at libraries, in places of worship, community centers, hospital waiting rooms, pharmacies, and
retail stores in your community. Don't forget to ask your healthcare providers to display a mini-poster in each examining room too.
- Contact your local access television station and find out how easy it is to produce a short segment called,
"Are You Medicine Smart™?" for local viewing. You can invite a local pharmacist, physician, nurse
practitioner or physician assistant to join you on air to talk about safe medicine use. Be sure to share with viewers NCPIE's 10 Important Questions to Help You Be "Medicine
Smart™".
- Place "Are You Medicine Smart™?" articles on your organization's web site and in your
organizational newsletters and magazines. Many of the articles and downloadable resources from past
NCPIE "Talk About Prescriptions" Month observances can easily be adapted for specific target audiences, local newspapers and newsletters.
- Set up an "Are You Medicine Smart™?" information exhibit in shopping malls to coincide with
scheduled health fairs. Health professional students can discuss general medicine use issues with consumers and distribute educational
handouts like NCPIE's one pager - "Here's What Makes YOU
"Medicine Smart™".
- Arrange for health care professionals or advanced health professional students to visit classrooms, senior centers and
fraternal organizations to ask a simple but profound question -- "Are You OTC Medicine Smart™?" Consumers of
all ages can benefit from discussions about steps to take to use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines safely and appropriately. NCPIE continues
to partner with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on an exciting educational program on safe medicine use for students (in the 6th -
8th grades) and adults alike.
Visit "Medicines in My Home." There you'll find all the
information and resources needed to conduct educational sessions designed to educate children and adults about the importance of reading
the "Drug Facts" label on nonprescription (over-the-counter or OTC) medicines. The program includes take-home materials for children
to share with their parents.
- Promote your activities so others can learn from your experiences. Send information about your ongoing or special
"Talk About Prescriptions" activities to:
"Medicine Smart" Activities
c/o NCPIE
200-A Monroe Street, Suite 212
Rockville, MD 20850-4448.
If it's more convenient, let us hear from you by email at ncpie@ncpie.info. Please put "Medicine Smart" in the Subject line when you address your email.
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