Information is always a good thing to have (Do medication reviews have a place on dooyoo?)

Member Name: jesperado

Product:	Do medication reviews have a place on dooyoo?
Date:	18/02/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You can make a more informed decision

Disadvantages: You still need to listen to the experts

I had never considered the implications of reviewing medication on dooyoo until I was having a look through some of the dooyoo-based discussion topics and this topic came up.

I can see both sides of the argument really but I will start by looking at the case against reviewing medication. I suppose the main issue is the lack of knowledge on the part of the reviewer. I don't mean this as a put-down to anyone reviewing a medication or medical product - I have myself reviewed the Implanon contraceptive implant - I simply mean that a consumer is never going to be as knowledgeable as a medical specialist in any given area. There may be side effects of the product that only someone with knowledge of your medical history could tell you about. I think it is very easy these days, with resources such as consumer review sites and Wikipedia, for people to think that they know better than medical professionals especially those people who have become disillusioned with the NHS or their GP. This may lead to them insisting to a doctor that does not know them well that they want a particular product that may not be suitable for them.

This seems to be a good point to pick up the argument for reviewing medication. To follow on from my point about patients thinking they know better than their doctors from having read up on products on the internet, it is still the doctor that has the final say-so when it comes to prescribing medication. Any doctor worth his/her salt should not prescribe a product to a patient based solely on what the patient thinks but should discuss the risks and benefits of different types of medication before reaching a decision with the patient on the best course of treatment. The more information the patient has on viable medications, the quicker they will reach a consensus with the doctor so having read reviews could lead to medical resources being freed up more quickly due to shorter consultations.

I think that on balance, I am in favour of medications being reviewed on dooyoo. The more information you have on something the better, but it is important to remember that reading reviews doesn't make you an expert on a product. Also, just because a product has worked for someone else it may not necessarily work for you.

Summary: It's good to read up on things but always consult your GP