Patients Demand Transparency: 50% Abandon Products Lacking Evidence
Discover how transparency on side effects and safety impacts patient trust and purchasing decisions, with 50% abandoning health products lacking clear scientific evidence.
Executive Brief
- The News: 46% of respondents stopped using a product due to lack of clear evidence.
- Clinical Win: 29% of respondents value long-term safety data in purchase decisions.
- Target Specialty: Primary care physicians serving health product consumers.
Key Data at a Glance
Survey Participants: 175
Respondents Following Physician Recommendations: less than 14%
Top Factor for Purchase Influence: long-term safety data (29%)
Respondents Stopping Product Use Due to Lack of Information: around 46%
Digital Health Technology Users: 29%
Traditional Health Option Users (Vitamins/Supplements): 84%
Patients Demand Transparency: 50% Abandon Products Lacking Evidence
What You Should Know:
A new survey by Lindus Health, a clinical trial company, has reveals that transparency about side effects and long-term safety are the top factors Americans consider when buying health products.
– The survey, which asked 175 participants about their health-based purchasing behaviors, revealed a significant gap between what consumers want and the information provided by physicians and manufacturers.
– The findings show that less than 14% of respondents follow their physician’s recommendations on health products. In open-ended responses, more than half of the participants said they wished that information on side effects, product usage, and product safety were easier to find. This highlights a pressing unmet need for transparency in consumer health.
The Critical Role of Clinical Evidence
When asked what clinical evidence would most influence their purchase, 29% of respondents cited long-term safety data, 22% wanted before/after clinical data like lab results, and 20% valued self-reported symptom improvement. The research also found that around 46% of respondents have decided against a purchase or stopped using a product due to a lack of clear information or evidence.
Addressing The Trust Gap and the Future of Digital Health
The same concerns about transparency and evidence may be impacting consumer skepticism toward new digital health tools. Only 29% of respondents reported using digital health technologies. The majority continue to rely on traditional options like vitamins and supplements (84%) and OTC medications (59%), which have years of research data and widespread confidence behind them.
Lindus Health aims to address this “trust gap” by delivering high-quality clinical trials, real-world evidence (RWE) studies, and health claims research for consumer health products. The company is focused on generating the robust data needed for consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions.
“The best way to bridge this divide is through high-quality evidence generation—and that’s where Lindus comes in,” said Meri Beckwith, Co-CEO of Lindus Health. “By executing research with consumers’ needs top-of-mind, we’re capturing the data we need so consumers can trust the health products they regularly buy are both safe and effective without sacrificing affordability.”
Clinical Perspective — Dr. Mohit Joshi, Psychiatry
Workflow: As I counsel patients on health products, I'm now more likely to discuss the importance of transparency about side effects and long-term safety, given that these are the top factors Americans consider when buying health products. Less than 14% of respondents follow their physician's recommendations on health products, so I'd take a more proactive approach to addressing their concerns. This means I'll need to allocate more time to reviewing product information with patients.
Economics: The article doesn't address cost directly, but it highlights the significant gap between what consumers want and the information provided by physicians and manufacturers. With 46% of respondents deciding against a purchase or stopping use due to a lack of clear information, there's a potential economic impact on the health industry as a whole. I'd consider the potential cost savings of providing more transparent information to patients.
Patient Outcomes: When discussing health products with patients, I'll emphasize the importance of clinical evidence, as 29% of respondents cited long-term safety data as a key influencer of their purchase decisions. I'll also highlight the value of self-reported symptom improvement, which 20% of respondents valued. By providing patients with more robust data, I hope to improve their trust in health products and ultimately, their health outcomes.
Transparency & Corrections
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