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Rebecca Voelker

JAMA. 2005;294:165-166.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The Consumers Union (CU), best known for publishing the product ratings guide Consumer Reports, is filling a void where advertisers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and health plans often do not tread.

Since late last year, the CU’s Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs project has released a half-dozen detailed reports that evaluate widely used categories of prescription drugs. The reports compare generic, brand name, and in some cases over-the-counter medications within each category and designate "best buys" based on cost and effectiveness. Each report is available online at http://www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org at no cost.

Physician consultants who have worked with CU to develop the program say the reports are useful clinical tools that physicians can use to educate themselves and their patients on how to get the biggest bang for their pharmaceutical buck.

EFFECTIVE, NOT COSTLY

"We want [physicians] to understand that there are some very effective drugs out there, and they are not extremely . . . [Full Text of this Article]