NACDS has applauded a ResearchAmerica poll finding that pharmacists were rated as the most trustworthy source for health and medical research information.

Pharmacists came out ahead of government agencies, patient groups and health care providers. "It is no surprise that pharmacists are viewed by consumers as the most trustworthy source when it comes to health and medical research issues," stated NACDS CEO Steve Anderson.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has applauded a ResearchAmerica poll finding that pharmacists were rated as the most trustworthy source for health and medical research information.

NACDS said Wednesday that one question in the survey, conducted in February by Charlton Research Co. and commissioned by ResearchAmerica and Eli Lilly, asked the following: "There are many sources of information about health and medical research issues. For each of the following sources, please indicate how trustworthy you think the information they provide is."

Of the 1,000 respondents, 83% rated pharmacists as "trustworthy," ahead of patient groups (82%), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (79%) and health care providers (78%).

"It is no surprise that pharmacists are viewed by consumers as the most trustworthy source when it comes to health and medical research issues," NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said in a statement on the poll’s findings. "Pharmacists have a reputation for being highly accessible and knowledgeable. NACDS believes findings like those in this research can help make the case for the role of pharmacists in helping patients take medications properly, also known as medication adherence."

NACDS noted that the study also reflects the annual Gallup survey of integrity across professions. The latest results, released in December 2009, ranked pharmacists second in public perception, behind only nurses. Pharmacists have been ranked in the top three in each of the past seven years.

Other key findings in the ResearchAmerica/Charlton Research study included the following: 

• 72% of those surveyed said they see the Food and Drug Adminstration as a trustworthy source of medical research information.

• After health care costs and insurance issues, which have long been the top health concern for Americans, one in four respondents said the top health issue facing the nation today is obesity (24%), ahead of cancer (11%) and heart disease (5%).

• 93% said it’s important, and 69% said it’s very important, for the United States to be a global leader in medical, health and scientific research.

"Public expectations for medical progress are very high. Americans want new drugs and medical devices delivered faster, and they rightly want safety to be a top priority," stated Mary Woolley, president and CEO of ResearchAmerica.