[greymule]

Because we have discussed what is involved with understanding the written word, I thought contributors to this thread would be interested to learn the consensus that was reached at a recent national forum of marketing consultants who specialize in pharmaceuticals:

"The panel [of experts] reported that patient-education materials that are produced by pharmaceutical companies have to be written at the fourth- to the sixth-grade reading level if they are to be effective."

(For the benefit of readers of this board, the New York Times is considered to be written at the eighth-grade level. Keep in mind, however, that in many American schools, few eighth-graders read at the eighth-grade level. Sometimes none do.)