VeganMed, Inc.
Jun 22, 2023
Amidst a growing consumer demand for transparency in medication ingredients, a new pilot project reveals critical gaps in the pharmaceutical industry's ability to provide accurate information on animal-derived ingredients.
A recent pilot project has revealed significant gaps in the pharmaceutical industry’s ability to provide accurate information regarding animal-derived ingredients in medications. As nearly 6% of U.S. consumers now identify as vegan—up from 1% in 2014—the demand for transparency in medication ingredients is increasing. This demand is driven by vegans, individuals with religious dietary restrictions, those with allergies like alpha-gal syndrome, and ethical consumers.
Key Findings
Accuracy: Only 60% of pharmaceutical companies provided accurate responses, with just 45% offering accurate information without prompting. Pharmacists could not determine the animal-free status for 33% of medications.
Interactions: 50% of companies required more than one interaction to provide a final response. The average time for all interactions was 13 minutes, with a variability of ± 5 minutes.
Written Confirmation: 65% of companies did not provide written confirmation regarding the animal-free status of their medications.
Recommendations
Medical Information (MI) departments are encouraged to:
Train Representatives: Improve training on animal-derived ingredients to enhance response accuracy.
Seek Certification: Obtain independent certification to optimize patient experience and ensure accurate information.
"Consumers today are more conscious than ever about what goes into their medications. Our findings highlight the urgent need for the pharmaceutical industry to improve transparency and provide clear, accurate information regarding animal-derived ingredients. By doing so, companies can better meet the ethical and dietary needs of a diverse patient population," said Dr. Frank Son, Med Research at VeganMed.
This pilot project underscores the need for greater transparency in the pharmaceutical industry to meet the ethical and dietary preferences of consumers.
Lead co-authors are Son Frank, Pharm.D. and Angela Wolfe, Pharm.D. Other co-authors are
Jasmine Uchi, PharmD. and Yen Nguyen, Pharm.D.
Authors disclosures are on the manuscript.
Publication link: https://meridian.allenpress.com/jcphp/article/70/2a/8/493818/Patient-Experience-With-Pharmaceutical-Medical