The New York Times reported on a New England Journal of Medicine article about how patient-reported data about drug side effects can be a tremendous source of information. But physicians and patients often have trouble discussing potential side effects because of limited time in consultations and limited understanding of what side effects and their causes may be.
So we have a great potential source of data about emerging drugs. But we have a communication gap in getting that information from patients to doctors to researchers. Many hope that opening new lines of communication for patients to report symptoms they are unsure about to others may help facilitate the reporting process. Information coming directly from patients will increase understanding of new and emerging drugs and technologies. And giving patients another means of expressing their concerns helps the patients be heard as they pursue their own health care.
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