Abstrait

A Survey on Consumer Ratings for the Market Available Drug Products Via the E-Commerce Platforms

Grant Luo*

It is to illustrate post-market surveillance on drug products using consumer ratings posted on e- commerce portals. Primatene mist, an FDA-approved inhaler was chosen for the study because of its OTC status. Amazon provides customers two options for product rating either to score a product by star rating (1~5 stars), or score and post experience as customer reviews. Given that patients utilize the number of stars to rank drug performance, it is to unlock the opinions of the reviewers and generalize them over the star ratings by ranking, for the post-market studies in drug performance. A snapshot of 10,802 ratings was obtained and 525 of them wrote reviews forming the basis of the study. Statistical analyses were performed on safety and effectiveness, as well as device integrity and other aspects of the inhaler. 53.5% of reviewers explicitly cited effectiveness (281 of 525); 0.6% (3 of 525) reported concerns about safety (1 ER (Emergency Room) visit and 2 ADE (Adverse Drug Event)). When extrapolating their experience over the population of star ratings, Primatene brings benefits to 95% of the participants (n=10,802). E-commerce portal provides input about the usability of a product from the feedback of consumers. For pharmaceuticals, such an input reveals viable information as a new source for post-market surveillance studies. Based on the customer reviews on Amazon portal, Primatene Mist is safe and effective in performance, serving patients well in the segment of intermittent asthma.