Encyclopaedia - Writing and Speaking

Late one day you receive an assignment on a topic you know little about: autism. You decide you need some background information and type “autism” in Google. The results page lists more than 5 million links. A quick scan shows you sites

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

of parent advocacy groups, research centers, government agencies, stores offering autism resources and sites describing new miraculous treatments for the disorder.

How do you make sense of all this? How do you know which sites are relia

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

ble and scientifically accurate?

Unless you are familiar with the topic and can easily spot the bad apples in the barrel, a search engine such as Google is not the best place to start. Instead, start with a source that you know provides

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

reliable information and that can direct you to other reliable sources of information. For example, The National Library of Medicine’s Medline Plus (www.medlineplus.gov) is one of the best places to begin a search about health matters.

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

Once you are on your way with your Internet search, ask these questions about each Web site you visit:

Does the Web site display who is responsible for the site? The site should describe the type of organization it belongs to

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

(for example, nonprofit, government, commercial) and disclose the sources of funding.

Is the purpose of the Web site stated? The site’s purpose should be to provide unbiased information about the health topic, not to promote a produ

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

ct or treatment.

Does it provide a mission statement? The mission of the sponsor organization should be clearly stated and should be consistent with the site’s content.

Is there a way to contact the information provider or Webm

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

aster? Different methods of contact should be available (for example, e-mail, phone, mailing address).

Then, ask the following questions about the Web site’s content:

Is the information slanted in favor of the Web s

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

ite’s sponsor or source of funding? Health information should be accurate and unbiased.

Do scientific experts review the medical information before it is posted on the Web site? The names, credentials, and affiliations of the Editor

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

ial Board or scientific reviewers should be made available to the readers. Remember, however, that credentials may be misleading: experts in one field may not be experts in other areas. The credentials should reflect expertise in the hea

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

th topics addressed on the site.

Does the information display the date of last revision, and is it kept up to date? The Web site should keep up with recent developments in medicine.

What is the scientific evidence for claims ma

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

de? The original source of facts and figures should be shown (for example, journal citations). Warning: some Web sites may misquote scientific studies or take statements out of context. When possible, check the facts in the original stud

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

Does the Web site rely on anecdotes about sick individuals instead of large scientific studies? Case-control studies provide a better understanding of a disease or treatment than isolated case reports.

Are personal opinions

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

presented as facts? Editorial and opinion pieces should be clearly identified as such.

Is the information presented in context? Enough background information should be provided to better understand the topic.

Although not essentia

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

l with regard to reliability, a good health Web site should also have the following characteristics:

Design. A professional design is more than high-quality graphics and state-of-the-art animations; it comprises logical

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

organization of the information and ease of navigation through the different sections of the site. In other words, you should not get lost when moving around the site. A well-designed site will offer a navigational menu on every page, a

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

site map, an internal search engine and a frequently asked questions page to help you find information.

Writing. A Web site filled with typos and grammatical errors will not make a good impression—much less among writer

y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products

s. Proper grammar, spelling, and composition add credibility to the information because they are signs of an appropriate editorial process.

Additional resources. A single Web site will hardly cover a health topic in its

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

entirety. Therefore, a good site will link to other good sites that complement its information.

Medical knowledge changes rapidly, so always check more than 1 site to make sure you have obtained the most recent information. If the info

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

rmation is not clear or you have questions about something not covered on the Web sites, try to obtain a clarification from the authors. Finally, it is a good idea to double-check the facts with a known source you have worked with before

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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Encyclopaedia - Evaluating Health Information On The Internet

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