Deprescribing for patient safety
Why should patient safety advocates care about medication overload? Watch Shannon Brownlee's presentation for Patient Safety Day on the importance of deprescribing as a patient safety issue. More
Despite patient safety efforts, adverse events in hospitals still common, study shows
Can hospitals advance patient safety in a profit-driven system? A recent study identifies persistent rates of adverse events in hospitals. More
OPTIMISE trial demonstrates safety of deprescribing for older adults
Clinicians may avoid deprescribing a blood pressure medication because they fear that patients' blood pressure will rise dangerously. For those clinicians, the new OPTIMISE trial results may put their mind at ease. More
Guest Interview: How prescription checkups can work on the ground
To reduce harmful overmedication, we need to give doctors and patients opportunities to deprescribe. One pharmacy benefit manager has already started providing prescription checkups for their members -- here's how their program is working so far. More
PRESS RELEASE: Millions of Older Americans Harmed by Too Many Medications
Lown Institute just released Eliminating Medication Overload: A National Action Plan. More
Pharmacists can help solve our overmedication problem — if we let them
Pharmacists have many years of graduate training specifically around medication use and safety, and are perfectly positioned to help older patients and their medical providers manage medications. Yet most patients in America don’t realize their pharmacist has this expertise—and if, by chance, they do ask for their pharmacists for help, patients discover the pharmacist is too busy filling prescriptions to take the time for a longer conversation. More
It’s time to wake up from the REMS cycle
Can we trust drug companies to monitor and regulate the safety of their own products? More
One in twenty patients exposed to preventable harm, new analysis finds
Health care providers still have a long way to go when it comes to reducing preventable harm, especially harm from medications. More
Esketamine nears FDA approval, prompting both excitement and concern
As the powerful depression drug esketamine nearly FDA approval, some researchers are concerned that the approval would be lowering the bar for clinical evidence. More
2023 Shkreli Awards
A top ten list of the worst examples of profiteering and dysfunction in health care, named for the infamous "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli. More
Off-label, on-demand: The problems with drug delivery start-ups
New prescription drug delivery start-ups are bypassing the FDA's regulations on off-label marketing. More
Should patients care about 340B?
340B is more than a big pile of money. The program is a band-aid covering up huge problems with our health system that can no longer be ignored. The 340B drug discount program is a hugely important policy issue for hospitals and drug companies, but the most of the rest of us have never heard of it or barely understand it. Why is pharma and the hospital industry getting so worked up about 340B, and how does any of this matter? Here’s what you need to know about a growing policy battle… More
What’s the tea on 340B?
If you want to see an epic battle between hospitals and pharma, look no further than the 340B drug discount program. Why is this program so controversial, and what do new studies show about its effectiveness? More
The RCT blind spot
Randomized controlled trials are known as the "gold standard" in medical research--but they also have a significant down-side... More
The slippery slope of the mifepristone and the FDA
An ongoing lawsuit focusing on the FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone could open the door to drug regulatory chaos. More
The Cerebral scandal brings ADHD overprescription into the spotlight
A telehealth company's downfall sheds light on the overprescription of stimulants to ADHD patients More
When evidence becomes politicized, how do we talk about low-value care?
When we call unproven treatments "cures," we not only put patients at risk of harm, we create a framework in which evidence is no longer valued. Kelsey Chalmers and Judith Garber explore how this perspective could impact the "less is more" movement, and how we need to reframe the issue to build a coalition for change. More
Conflicts of interest cloud stroke intervention guidelines
Do financial conflicts play a role in explaining the differences in recommendations for acute stroke interventions between specialty societies? More
Why you should be a “medical conservative”
What does it mean to be a "medical conservative"? These doctors explain why it's important to be skeptical about new medical advances until unbiased and high-quality evidence shows a clear benefit. More
Lown president, cardiologist, reacts to stent controversy
A study in The Lancet this week has rocked the world of cardiology by showing that stents are no better than a placebo in relieving chest pain. More