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Medicines used better

When we assess a medicine, we always bear the eventual user in mind. After all, a medicine works better if people know exactly what they should use it for and how. That is why we focus a great deal of attention on understandable and reliable information on medicines, for example in the form of the patient information leaflet, as well as on the consideration of where a medicine should become available and whether a doctor might be needed to provide supervision.

For every medicine the MEB prepares a summary of product characteristics (SmPC) and a patient information leaflet. These documents provide reliable, impartial information on medicines. Research conducted by NIVEL has revealed that 89% of Dutch users of medicines consult and have confidence in the SmPC and the patient information leaflet, but that not everyone understands the information provided in them. One area where we can potentially improve is therefore improving the clarity and comprehensibility of the official patient information leaflet. A clearer link between the information provided on medicines and the field of healthcare would also help improve information provision.

In past years, we have focused on making clear, comprehensible information regarding the good use of medicines available to all Dutch people. We will continue to work on this in the coming years. It is important to also ensure that those with limited knowledge of health matters or those who have difficulty reading can also understand this information. The MEB also wishes to make available the information that is currently only accessible through its own Medicines Information Bank, so that it can be integrated more widely with the other information systems used by healthcare providers and patients.

Better information for patients

Every patient's information needs are different. Some prefer a lengthy text that provides a lot of detail. Others prefer to read a short text including pictures and icons, or they rely only on audiovisual information. The MEB is currently working on improving official patient information leaflets to make them more comprehensible. We are also concerned with making the content of the patient information leaflets available in an audiovisual format. In conjunction with manufacturers, the MEB is also considering whether the patient information leaflet can be made more concise and accessible.

Our hope in the long-term is to enable care providers to select the information from the patient information leaflets that is relevant to their patients, to enable them to provide information that is better tailored to individual patients.

The vaccine in a nutshell

As a supplement to the official patient information leaflet the MEB has produced a short and more visual presentation of information on medicines. The main differences between 'The vaccine in a nutshell' and the official patient information leaflet are as follows:

  • 'The vaccine in a nutshell' sets out the most important information on using the medicine for the patient to see at a glance;
  • 'The vaccine in a nutshell' describes what the vaccine does for the patient (the 'beneficial effects').
  • Only the most common adverse reactions are referred to;
  • Where necessary this will be supplemented with information on life-threatening adverse reactions;
  • The use of icons supports the proper use of the vaccine;
  • 'The vaccine in a nutshell' is prepared in collaboration with RIVM and the KNMP Medicinal Product Information Centre.

Better access to product information

The MEB publishes information on medicines, such as the summary of product characteristics (SmPC) and the patient information leaflet. Various other parties involved in the field of healthcare also use this information. These include government bodies and professional organisations. The MEB is continuously working on improving access to this reliable information, enabling both patients and those working in the field to search for, find, consult and make use of information about medicines. In time, we aim to provide fully digitised product information (electronic product information (ePI)).