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CNN Live Today
Daily Dose: Interview with Lester Crawford
Aired September 10, 2003 - 11:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KAGAN: Americans buy more than 5 billion over-the-counter drugs each year. And some medications that were one available only by prescription are now on the drugstore shelves. So the government needs to step up efforts to educate Americans about over-the-counter medicines.
That's the focus of our "Daily Dose" of health news. Joining us from Washington, FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford. Mr. Commissioner, thank you for being with us...
LESTER CRAWFORD, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, FDA: Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: ... on this important topic. No. 1 thing that Americans are doing wrong with their over-the-counter medication?
CRAWFORD: Well they basically treat over-the-counter medications as if they were completely safe. I mean it's natural for all of us to do that. And traditionally we have done that to medications like aspirin and so forth. But they are -- today, the surgeon general and FDA announced some questions that everybody ought to ask when they take over the counter medications.
KAGAN: All right let's go through some of those questions.
CRAWFORD: Well the first thing is what over-the-counter medicines are available? There's usually a variety. If you have allergies, or whatever you have, they usually are a variety of things that you need to ask about. And you can ask the pharmacist, and also ask your doctor before going in and purchasing the medication.
Second thing is how much should be taken? Third is how often? And then probably the most important thing is how many days in a row should you take the medication? Most of us take the medication even if it's supposed to be for say five days, only until we feel better and that is just not the way to do it.
And then finally, you should know what other medications you should avoid when taking a certain medication, or what dietary supplements, foods, alcohol, other things that you should not take while you're taking the medication.
KAGAN: Couple things. We were just showing some drugs that are clearly not over-the-counter like Prozac and Ritalin right now. So we don't want to give people the idea that is the case.
But it sounds, Mr. Crawford, like some of the things that you're suggesting this is why many of these medications should be prescription because these are the kinds of discussions you should have with your health care provider.
CRAWFORD: Well virtually all of these medications were at one time prescription. But over the years that they have been on the market, FDA has monitored how many adverse reactions, what sort of experiences physicians and pharmacists have had with them. And also a patient information network has been established.
We have made a judgment based on an advisory committee recommendations that they go over-the-counter. Sometimes this is a very close call and that's why we want to crank this campaign up to protect the public health and get people to be wise about doing this. In fact, the campaign is called the "Be Med Wise Campaign."
KAGAN: It's one thing when you're dealing with your own medication, but I think people out there are purchasing over-the- counter medication for their children, whether it's for colds or baby aspirin. That's actually I think even more concerning.
CRAWFORD: Well it is concerning. And there are a variety of these that are on the market. For children as well as for adults you should also beware you if are taking more than one medication, sometimes the trade names are different and you may be taking the same medication in a variety of different drugs that you are medicating yourself with.
So you should look and ask. And there's always the pharmacist to ask. And also your physician will be able to answer questions about over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription drugs.
KAGAN: Really good point. Even if you're not getting it from the pharmacist, you're in that area, go up to the counter and ask the questions. Most importantly make yourself educated.
Lester Crawford, thank you for giving a good reminder. Appreciate that.
CRAWFORD: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 10, 2003 - 11:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KAGAN: Americans buy more than 5 billion over-the-counter drugs each year. And some medications that were one available only by prescription are now on the drugstore shelves. So the government needs to step up efforts to educate Americans about over-the-counter medicines.
That's the focus of our "Daily Dose" of health news. Joining us from Washington, FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester Crawford. Mr. Commissioner, thank you for being with us...
LESTER CRAWFORD, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, FDA: Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: ... on this important topic. No. 1 thing that Americans are doing wrong with their over-the-counter medication?
CRAWFORD: Well they basically treat over-the-counter medications as if they were completely safe. I mean it's natural for all of us to do that. And traditionally we have done that to medications like aspirin and so forth. But they are -- today, the surgeon general and FDA announced some questions that everybody ought to ask when they take over the counter medications.
KAGAN: All right let's go through some of those questions.
CRAWFORD: Well the first thing is what over-the-counter medicines are available? There's usually a variety. If you have allergies, or whatever you have, they usually are a variety of things that you need to ask about. And you can ask the pharmacist, and also ask your doctor before going in and purchasing the medication.
Second thing is how much should be taken? Third is how often? And then probably the most important thing is how many days in a row should you take the medication? Most of us take the medication even if it's supposed to be for say five days, only until we feel better and that is just not the way to do it.
And then finally, you should know what other medications you should avoid when taking a certain medication, or what dietary supplements, foods, alcohol, other things that you should not take while you're taking the medication.
KAGAN: Couple things. We were just showing some drugs that are clearly not over-the-counter like Prozac and Ritalin right now. So we don't want to give people the idea that is the case.
But it sounds, Mr. Crawford, like some of the things that you're suggesting this is why many of these medications should be prescription because these are the kinds of discussions you should have with your health care provider.
CRAWFORD: Well virtually all of these medications were at one time prescription. But over the years that they have been on the market, FDA has monitored how many adverse reactions, what sort of experiences physicians and pharmacists have had with them. And also a patient information network has been established.
We have made a judgment based on an advisory committee recommendations that they go over-the-counter. Sometimes this is a very close call and that's why we want to crank this campaign up to protect the public health and get people to be wise about doing this. In fact, the campaign is called the "Be Med Wise Campaign."
KAGAN: It's one thing when you're dealing with your own medication, but I think people out there are purchasing over-the- counter medication for their children, whether it's for colds or baby aspirin. That's actually I think even more concerning.
CRAWFORD: Well it is concerning. And there are a variety of these that are on the market. For children as well as for adults you should also beware you if are taking more than one medication, sometimes the trade names are different and you may be taking the same medication in a variety of different drugs that you are medicating yourself with.
So you should look and ask. And there's always the pharmacist to ask. And also your physician will be able to answer questions about over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription drugs.
KAGAN: Really good point. Even if you're not getting it from the pharmacist, you're in that area, go up to the counter and ask the questions. Most importantly make yourself educated.
Lester Crawford, thank you for giving a good reminder. Appreciate that.
CRAWFORD: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
