title: The effect of traffic lights and regulatory statements on the choice between complementary and conventional medicines in Australia: results from a discrete choice experiment.
abstract: It has been suggested that complementary medicines are currently 'under-regulated' in some countries due to their potential for harm as a direct result from side-effects or interactions; from delaying more effective care; or from the economic cost of purchasing an ineffective or inappropriate treatment. The requirement of additional labelling on complementary medicine products has been suggested in Australia and may provide additional information to consumers at the point of purchase. This paper details a unique way of testing the potential effects on consumer behaviour of including either a traffic light logo or regulatory statement on labels. Using a discrete choice experiment, data were collected in 2012 in a sample of 521 Australians with either type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. We find that additional labelling can affect consumer behaviour, but in unpredictable ways. The results of this experiment are informative to further the dialogue concerning possible regulatory mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Building 75, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: j.spinks@griffith.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spinks
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Building 75, Monash University, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mortimer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D002755:Choice Behavior; D002908:Chronic Disease; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000523:psychology*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055553:Prescription Drugs; D011356:Product Labeling; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: Australia; Complementary medicine; D-efficient design; Discrete choice experiment (DCE); Mixed-multinomial logit; Regulatory statements; Traffic light