“Now that your doctor has prescribed this medication, here is information you need to better manage your condition,” Dr. Becker says, emphasizing it is not an advertisement, nor an attempt to get the patient to ask for the medication. He says it’s made clear to physicians which content is pharmaceutical-sponsored information and that they can remove it from display if it does not reflect their approach to care.
The content is reviewed regularly and updated about once a year, but changes that are deemed critical are made more quickly, Dr. Becker says.
Dr. Becker hopes Vivacare fills what he sees as a need in doctors’ patient-education efforts.
“In terms of really helping their patients, physicians can and should offer practical information on their websites about the conditions they diagnose and treatments they prescribe.”
Thomas Collins is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.
