Auxiliary label

[4] Auxiliary labels are small stickers consisting of one or more lines of text intended to enhance patient knowledge, with or without a pictogram.

[7] Picture representations of directions can be useful for patients with low literacy, or who have trouble reading and comprehending text instructions due to age, eyesight, or language barriers.

[9] The same study found that patients associated the use of red as a highlight color with information regarding warnings, allergies, or side effects.

[9] Deciding what auxiliary labels are suitable for a particular prescription requires knowledge of the drug's classification, interactions, and side effects.

[4] One study in 2007 found that 82% of prescriptions had auxiliary labels placed vertically, requiring the bottle to be tilted to read the text.

[5] In addition to misinterpretation, some studies have found that most patients ignore auxiliary labels on prescriptions completely, especially those with low health literacy.

[14] In the United States, many labels are commonly only stocked in English, which can decrease the chance of understanding in areas with significant non-English speaking populations.

[5] Common elements considered to increase the chance of effectiveness of an auxiliary label include a single-step instruction, using easy-to-read text (for example, low Lexile score), use of clear, simple icons (if present), use of color to represent severity, and clarity of the instruction being represented.

[15] Font size and style, including boldface or capitalization patterns, can also impact the effectiveness of an auxiliary label.