Informed consent regarding "the pill" and new drugs.
In prescribing certain drugs, it is prudent for the physician to give the patient information on the advantages and disadvantages of the medication. This is especially true when patients request the oral contraceptive, popularly known as "the pill." Because of the sensational publicity relating to possible side effects from the pill, we know from past experience in other similar situations that serious patient questions may arise out of real or fancied effects from use of the pill.CMA has prepared two Health Tip articles: one devoted exclusively to the pill, and the other entitled How Does Your Doctor Know When a New Drug Is Safe? The two articles are available in quantity through CMA and are reprinted below. It is suggested that each physician consider giving the two articles to every patient seeking a prescription for the pill, and the drug article to all patients receiving certain other drugs-and in addition, the physician should make an entry in the patient's record of the delivery of the articles. In this fashion, "informed consent" could occur without the physician being required to be a lecturer but with the explanation to the patients being uniform and being done in a friendly, understandable manner. The dissemination of this data by the physician with the corresponding entry in the patient's record has a relationship to the continuation of the physician-patient rapport. The importance of an entry in the patient's record of whatever information you give cannot be overemphasized. The two articles reprinted here may be ordered in quantity for this purpose at nominal cost from CMA Health Tips. (See Order Blank at end of article.)
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral