Perception of prescription drug risks: a survey of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The ways in which patients perceive the risks of prescription drugs are likely to influence treatment preferences and compliance decisions. But very little is known about the perceived frequency of adverse drug reactions (ADR), their perceived causation and attitudes towards the safety regulation of prescription drugs. A sample of 1,034 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) completed a postal questionnaire on the risks of medicines in general and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) in particular. Serious ADR were perceived to be more frequent with NSAID than prescription drugs generally, and those who had experienced a previous ADR (47%) judged ADR to be more frequent (p less than 0.001). When asked to rate the likelihood that each of 7 reasons were causative of ADR, the most likely reason was perceived to be inadequate information to the patient about the drug, and secondly inadequate patient followup by the prescribing doctor. Responses to a hypothetical AS drug risk scenario indicated high safety expectations for antirheumatic agents; 61% thought that the government should take a drug off the market if there is any evidence of fatal ADR. The results of this survey suggest the need for greater patient information and education on the risks and benefits of medicines to modify perceptions and false expectations.