An explosion in prescription drug use over the past two decades is prompting consumer-health experts to recommend all Americans conduct an annual “medical checkup” with their doctors to be sure the pills they’re popping are necessary and at the right doses.
Consumer Reports, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, has proclaimed October 21 “National Check Your Meds Day” to encourage Americans to talk with their physicians and pharmacists about their prescription drugs to help prevent risky errors and interactions — and possibly save money.
At least once a year, they urge all consumers to take their medications — including prescription and over-the-counter medication, plus vitamins and other dietary supplements — to a healthcare professional for a “brown-bag” review.
That allows them to be checked for potential harmful drug interactions and possibly eliminate unnecessary drugs.
Many stores and pharmacy chains are supporting the initiative, including Albertsons, Costco, CVS, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart.
Consumer Reports recently reported in a special investigation — “Too Many Meds?” — that more than half of Americans take an average of four prescription medications. That’s in addition to over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements.
“Much medication use is life-saving, without a doubt. But some drugs can potentially do more harm than good,” says Lisa Gill, deputy editor of Consumer Reports.
“Our concern is that inappropriate prescribing can lead to unnecessary risk, including trips to the emergency room. By launching ‘National Check Your Meds Day,’ we hope to encourage consumers to talk with their healthcare providers about the meds and supplements they take, so they can ultimately lower their risk.”
According to Consumer Reports, the number of prescriptions filled by all Americans has skyrocketed by 85 percent from 2.4 billion prescriptions in 1997 to 4.5 billion in 2016. Over that same time, the U.S. population increased by only 21 percent.
“There are many root causes, including a ‘culture of prescribing.’ Perhaps most worrisome is prescribing for pre-disease stages of a condition, such as pre-osteoporosis or pre-diabetes where the medications offer limited benefit for people. And, we’ve seen a push to treat common problems like back pain, heartburn, and insomnia with medication before trying effective, non-drug measures first,” Gill said.
The increasing number of scripts boosts the risk for drug errors, dangerous medication combinations, and serious side effects. Nearly 1.3 million people visit U.S. emergency rooms each year due to adverse drug effects, and about 124,000 people die from those events, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
It’s estimated that nearly half of those events could be prevented with more appropriate medication use, experts say.
“The risk of adverse events increases exponentially after someone is on four or more medications,” says Dr. Michael Hochman, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Is a Medication Check-up Right For You? Six Questions To Ask
In a special report, “Give Your Drugs a Checkup,” available for free online at CR.org, Consumer Reports suggests six questions to ask yourself to decide if you need a medication checkup:
- How many doctors prescribe your meds? The more doctors you see, the greater the risk of miscommunication and duplicate drugs.
- Do you also regularly take over-the-counter drugs or dietary supplements? Like drugs, they can pose risks even though they don’t require a prescription.
- Do you take more than one drug to treat the same health problem, such as two drugs to treat depression? That’s sometimes necessary to control your condition, but it can also be a red flag that you’re taking a drug you may not need.
- Do you take one drug to control the side effects of another? If so, check to see whether you can ease side effects by lowering the dose, switching to another drug, or trying lifestyle changes instead.
- Have you been taking your medication for more than three months? Many conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, can require drugs for a lifetime. But for some problems, people stay on drugs longer than necessary.
- Do you struggle to pay for your meds? Consumer Reports’ previous surveys have found that doctors often don’t consider the cost of drugs they prescribe. Don’t hesitate to ask about less expensive but equally effective alternatives, including generic versions.