Boston, MA — With the scary side effects of some drugs making headlines recently, many people have found themselves wondering, “How can I find out the side effects of the prescription drugs I take?” An article in the April issue of the Harvard Health Letter explores this question and gives readers concrete ways to find the answers they need.

Physicians Desk Reference & Prescription Drug Side Effect Information

According to the Health Letter, the first place you can look for information about the drugs you’re taking is the insert that comes in the manufacturer’s original packaging. However, medications that aren’t individually packaged (for instance, pills that the pharmacist counts out versus an inhaler that comes in its original box) don’t come with inserts. In that case, the Health Letter suggests you look for the same information in the yearly Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR), which includes every prescription drug package insert. The article explains how to decode some of the jargon found in these sources and what information is the most important to look for.

FDA & Prescription Drug Side Effect Information

For some prescription drugs, the FDA requires information sheets designed for patients. These sheets are written in plain English and can therefore be easier to understand than the packet inserts and PDR.

Both the package inserts and the patient information sheets are FDA-controlled for accuracy. However, the Harvard Health Letter cautions that other sources — such as fact sheets that some pharmacists hand out and Web-based resources — may contain inaccurate information.

Also in this issue:

A chart describing some online sources of consumer-friendly drug information Six tips to being a savvy health consumer Diagnosis and treatment of adult asthma Advice on chipped and knocked-out teeth Ideas for preventing nighttime leg cramps Online health advice for international travelers Cranberry juice and urinary tract infections A doctor answers: Are eggs bad for you? Can you get Alzheimer’s in your 80s?