Information Overload: Understanding Your Medications Better

KYW's Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --  It's called information overload and the term is the same in business circles as well as medical circles.

The term might get overused, but it's certainly important in medicine.

A great example of information overload is what happens in the pharmaceutical industry.

Each year the FDA gets about 100 new drug applications, and there are usually about 100 new drugs or expanded usages for them.

Then there are the black box warnings, the part of the labeling information that warns of severe side effects.

So, if it's tougher for doctors to keep up, what can you, the patient taking the medications, do?

Here is my suggestion, get to know the medications that you take, and go over them with your doctor.

If you use over-the-counter medications ask about them as well.