Stiftung Warentest Many medicines have no effect

Stiftung Warentest: Many drugs are not suitable

09/19/2013

Most Germans resort to medication for cold symptoms without consulting their family doctor first. Stiftung Warentest has tested the effectiveness and efficacy of the 2,000 medicines and has found no real benefit for many and even considered them to be problematic.

The team of experts regularly reviews the best-selling drugs. About one third of them now has Stiftung Warentest „bad“ rated. Among them are many well-known remedies for colds, runny nose, sore throat, constipation, diarrhea or insect bites.

Combi preparations often do not make sense
Especially among the combination preparations are many that as „little suitable“ get ranked. For only a few, the ingredients are well matched and considered useful. For most, no additional benefit is noted. These include well-known cold remedies such as Grippostad C, Wick DayMed and Wick MediNait. to find.

Therapeutic efficacy rare
Other drugs can not be said to have a therapeutic effect or are classified as low due to the side effects. Aloe Vera remedies used for constipation often have a dramatic laxative effect and are extremely irritating to the colon. Gentler remedies such as psyllium, lactulose or macrogol are recommended.

Combi preparations perform particularly poorly
Drugs that use a combination of different agents are particularly poor in comparison. Especially the cold medications, in which painkillers are mixed with stimulating substances, do not get good grades from the testers. In other cases, the high alcohol content of cold remedies for the night, classified as unsuitable or the composition of the active ingredients in tablets against throat infections criticized. There are over 2000 over-the-counter medications. in the database of Stiftung Warentest, which can be bought at any time in the pharmacy.

More than 600 million over-the-counter medicines are distributed annually at the pharmacy. According to estimates of the pharmacists, about a third are sold in the context of self-medication. The mail-order business once again controls a small share of this. According to studies, the turnover amounts to more than six billion euros.

Patients do not recognize the risks
Many patients suggest the sale of over-the-counter remedies harmless and take at the same time even prescribed by the doctor medication. This interaction is considered dangerous by the experts and carries additional risks.

Medicines have little added value
With the drug reform introduced in 2011, manufacturers now have to provide proof of added value for agents with new active substances at market launch. In three preparations even a lower benefit was found. The new drug brought more disadvantages than benefits over previous drugs.

The head of the independent Institute for Economic Efficiency in Health Care (IQWIG), Jürgen Windeler, says "For 22 drugs we have found that they are really better than conventional drugs". For medicines with added benefits cash registers and manufacturers negotiate a price - only the drugs that bring more should cost more. Here you will find a list of Stiftung Warentest with 33 preparations that are classified as unsuitable. (Fr)