Public trust in medicines

People have a significant level of trust in the safety of available medicines, with almost two thirds (63%) believing medicines are thoroughly tested for use in children and babies before they are used in this country. The research conducted by the MORI Social Research Institute -- commissioned by Action Research -- shows one in five people (22%) agree strongly that this is the case.

The same survey found that a third of adults thought that all babies and children in hospital receive medicines that have been tested or licensed specifically for these young patients (33% in each case)*. One in three of this group are parents with children.

Notes

* 67% of children being treated in hospital receive drugs that have not been approved or are used outside of their licence. 90% of babies being treated in hospital receive drugs that have not been approved or are used outside of their licence.

Technical details

MORI Social Research Institute interviewed a representative quota sample of 2,065 adults aged 15 and over. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in homes across Great Britain in 191 constituency-based sampling points. Interviews were carried out between July 25-30 2002.