In a recent report, the Food and Drug Administration explains the duties and the good work done by their Division of Drug Information. Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, various experts and pharmacists in this branch of the FDA are tasked with responding to consumer queries and helping people figure out what to do in intense situations.
The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research makes sure that medication does what it’s supposed to without needlessly endangering the consumer, but it’s the DDI that actually speaks with consumers once a drug is out there in the public. Consumers will typically get in touch with the department when they’re worried about drug side effects. Responders can listen to the patient’s concerns and provide the information necessary to get the person help or set their mind at ease. They can also act as a facilitator for the MedWatch adverse event reporting system, helping patients and medical professionals report adversity and keeping track of trends suggested by the resulting data.
But that’s not all that the DDI can help people with. They can also alert consumers to potential scams. One example is given in which a woman calls after being threatened with arrest following her purchase of an online drug. The DDI assuaged her fears. The department can also provide pharmacists with detailed instructions on how to go about prescribing highly regulated drugs.