3 August 2011

NPS: Better choices, Better health has been honoured with another Multicultural Communication Award for its suite of in-language medicine brand choices radio advertisements. The award for the best audio visual resource in the non-Government category was presented on 28^th July 2011 at a NSW Parliament House ceremony.

NPS CEO, Dr Lynn Weekes, says the award-winning radio advertisements enable Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) and Italian speakers to make more informed decisions about their medicine choices.

The advertisements explain why the same medicines can be sold under and have different brand names, look different and be a different price, but work in the same way.

“We’re really pleased with both the community reception of the ads as well as the public recognition of a Multicultural Communication Award for these important communications,” said Dr Weekes.

“Communications and customised resources like these provide consumers with clear, independent information and help achieve our goal of a medicinewise Australia.

“We know that raising consumer awareness about how to make good medicine decisions ultimately improves health. Medicine risks increase and the chance of good health outcomes decrease when consumer knowledge is low or compromised, as can be the case for people with low English language proficiency and literacy levels.”

The ads were part of the 2009 campaign and were aired on in-language radio stations across Australia.

A set of in-language brochures were also developed as part of the campaign, and these received a Certificate of Commendation at the Multicultural Communication Awards.

The brochures were updated for the 2011 NPS Medicine Brand Choices campaign, and are available for download

in Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian, Greek. Vietnamese, Arabic, Croatian, Korean, Macedonian and Spanish from the NPS website, or ordered and delivered free of charge to individuals or health professionals.

The full range of translated health information about medicines, including the award-winning radio advertisements, are available to download or order at

www.nps.org.au/consumers/translated_health_information_about_medicines

ENDS

Independent, evidence-based and not-for-profit, NPS enables better decisions about medicines and medical tests.We are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.