Wisconsin Pharmacies Will Pilot Making Prescription Drug Bottles Easier To Read

Pharmacies across the country have been slow to adopt voluntary standards for labeling medication, but Wisconsin might become an exception: Some pharmacies are trying to make pill bottles easier to read in the hope that more patients will take their medication as intended.

Bigger print and clearer explanations are among the standards promoted by the nonprofit scientific organization known as the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention. These guidelines for labels will be used at 46 Wisconsin locations operated by three pharmacies — Hayat, Hometown and University of Wisconsin Health.

Steve Sparks of Wisconsin Literacy said labels are often dominated by the pharmacy logo or the name of the prescribing doctor.

“One of the challenges that we have with current labels is that sometimes the most important things are not the things that are emphasized most on the label,” said Sparks.

The two-year pilot project is funded through a $250,000 grant from the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment. Sparks said they will track if patients better understand labels that have bigger font size, use more white space and avoid all capital letters, which are harder to read.

In addition, the labels would use numerals instead of spelled-out numbers and be more specific about when to take pills and what ailment they’re treating.

“Pharmacists tell us that that is one of the most common questions that they get,” Sparks said. “‘What is this for, and can you write what this is for on my label? Because I take five or six prescriptions and I can’t remember which one is for which.’”

Sparks said the labels are intended to help all patients, but especially the elderly and those with low literacy.