We live in an age of information expansion. Every day, new information comes to the surface and we are made aware of it without any noticeable effort on our part. The process of dissemination of information really took momentum with the advent of the printing press, and since then it has only accelerated. Thanks to the internet today, information is more accessible to us than ever, and this is exactly why we should be more careful. Being informed is being empowered, but being misinformed may be menacing. When it comes to health-related information, credibility becomes even more important.
While doing your research and being prepared is a good thing, it may mislead you if the source of your information is not trustworthy. You will find a lot of information on the internet or other media, but it is important to note that not all of it may be accurate. When looking up information, make sure that your sources are reliable and/or provide references. This is referred to as media literacy. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of talk about the vaccines against COVID-19. Along with credible scientific information, you will also find misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. A good way to tell if the information is correct is to check if it is evidence-based.
In the scientific community, we value evidence above
everything. So if the information you find is based on strong evidence, preferably from the findings of clinical trials published in reputable science journals, the authenticity of it can be validated.Knowing about your conditions and your medicinal therapy is a step toward empowerment. The more you know about your medications, the more you are prepared to manage your therapy.
Here, at Guildview pharmacy, we encourage our patients to learn more about their medical conditions and their therapies. We provide them evidence-based information about their medications to help them make informed decisions for their health. For example, a lot of our patients have been curious about the medications and vaccines that are currently being studied for the cure of COVID-19. While there may be a number of therapies out there claiming to be effective against the virus, we make sure that the information we provide is accurate and evidence-based. There are some medications that were initially considered to be promising for the treatment of COVID-19 but further evidence did not show much benefit. Recovery trial, however, has recently suggested that a medication called dexamethasone may be effective in the treatment of the coronavirus disease. So if you are interested in learning more about your medical conditions or your medications, youmay want to get your information from reliable sources.
Here is a list of some resources that
provide evidence-based information you might find helpful:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/
https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
