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Examples of Information to Which Individuals are Exposed
(Page 2 of 3)
The major heading on the ad on the right is (click here for larger view) suggestive that the product being promoted will get rid of my pain. Since the product in question is peach pulp it quickly attracts my attention. How do I decide whether or not this product is for me? In order to help me answer this question perhaps I should first look at all of the statements contained in the article.
The first major statement is "Research indicates that peach pulp has high levels of melatonin-a strong antioxidant." Just because the statement suggests that the usefulness of the product is backed up by research should we believe that the product is good for me? Before making any decisions ask the following questions.
1. What type of research supports the claims?
2. Was this a clinical trial and if so where were the results published?
A testimonial supporting the product is stated in the ad and includes a statement about how the product helped this person. Does this mean the product will help me? Will I suffer any side effects from this product? Will this product interact with any of the medications I am currently taking?
It is usually the case that if the claims in the ad are backed up by research which involves a randomized clinical trial, with results that have been published in a peer reviewed journal, then most of these questions will have been answered. In addition, if the drug has been reviewed and approved by the FDA, then information relative to potential side effects and interactions with other medications will also be available. Since nothing was indicated in the ad about a clinical trial and subsequent publication, it appears that there is not much supporting evidence for the product.
Although evidence supporting the efficacy of a drug which was obtained from a clinical trial is good information, it is true that everyone in the treatment group does not have to be affected positively for the drug being tested to be certified as a good treatment. It does mean that most of the subjects in the treatment group were helped by the drug. It is also true that most of the subjects in the treatment group did not suffer negative side effects, but a small subset of the subjects could have suffered negative side effects. This latter fact is the reason that when the FDA approves the drug there will be an attached statement which you receive with your prescription which lists possible side effects. Why it should be the case is not known, but two different individuals who suffer from the same condition could react differently to a specific treatment.
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