Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Approaches

1. Consumer-Oriented Evaluation Approaches Evaluating technologies in reproductive health: case studies of a consumer protection approach Jennifer Hass

2. What is a consumer-oriented evaluation approach? • When independent agencies, governmental agencies, and individuals compile information on education or other human services products for the consumer. • Goal: To help consumers become more knowledgeable about products

3. For what purposes is it applied • Typically applied to educational products and programs • Governmental agencies • Independent consumer groups • Educational Products Information Exchange • To represent the voice and concerns of the consumers

4. How is it generally applied • Creating and using stringent checklists and criteria • Michael Scriven • Educational Products Information Exchange • U.S. Dept of Education • Program Effectiveness Panel • Processes • Content • Transportability • Effectiveness

5. Advantages • Has made evaluations available on products and programs to consumers who may have not had the time or resources to do the evaluation process themselves • Increases the consumers’ knowledge about using criteria and standards to objectively and effectively evaluate educational and human services products • Consumers have become more aware of market strategies

6. Disadvantages • Increases product costs onto the consumer • Product tests involves time and money, typically passed onto the consumer • Stringent criteria and standards may curb creativity in product creation • Concern for rise of dependency of outside products and consumer services rather than local initiative development

7. Case Study Evaluating technologies in reproductive health: case studies of a consumer protection approach

8. Why evaluate health care technologies in Brazil? • Less emphasis has been placed on health care technologies for the consumer • Typically for health professionals • Governments like Brazil are weak and incapable of being responsible for the regulation and quality control of health care products • Supply of reproductive technologies dominated by market, not consumer, interests

9. Women’s Health, Reproductive Rights and Consumer Protection • Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (IDEC) • Oswaldo Cruz Foundation • Other academic and research centers (later on) • Objective: • To evaluate and improve the safety and efficacy of health care products on the Brazilian market that affect women’s reproductive health • To represent consumer interests and concerns

10. Method of evaluation • Evaluation led by non-governmental organizations and consumer activists groups • Tested a wide range of products • Using evaluations of international scientific literature to assess the safety and efficacy of products • Using laboratory quality control studies

11. What was tested? • Products for treating STDs and vaginal infections • Condoms • Pregnancy Tests • Hormonal Contraceptives • Infant Formulas • Teratogenic Drugs

12. Methods to make the evaluation effective • Disseminate information to: • Consumers via mass media • Health care professionals • Formal scientific papers and requests for action given to regulatory authorities and manufacturers • Participation of consumer activist groups in advisory boards to the government • If all else fails: legal action

13. Results/Findings • Significant proportion of reproductive products on the marketplace in Brazil were considered unsafe or ineffective • Many manufacturers removed or improved product • Government took no action • Exception: drug regulation in using combination drugs for STDs

14. How useful/important is this study? • Scientific evaluation in combination with effective dissemination of information can improve the quality of products • Seen through influencing public regulatory decisions, educating consumers, or putting pressure on the manufacturers • Didn’t mention what standards or criteria used to judge safety and effectiveness

15. My thoughts.. • Good example of a consumer-oriented evaluation approach • Displays that the approach can be effective even without government involvement • Must be led by consumer interest

16. Questions?