Survey: People Trust New Drugs More

Many Americans think new drugs must be better, a new survey suggests. That may not be true. But people are more likely to pick an older, safer drug with guidance from a clearly worded label, the survey found. Researchers surveyed 3,000 adults. About 4 out of 10 said that the United States approves only “extremely effective ” drugs. About 1 out of 4 said drugs are approved only if they don’t have serious side effects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews and approves drugs. The FDA approves a new drug when its benefits outweigh any known risks. It may not be better than another drug on the market. The survey also asked people to choose between 2 fictional drugs that treated heartburn equally well. Only 34% picked the older drug. Then people were asked about the same drugs, but a warning was added about the new drug.