Low-value Care

Millions of Older Americans Harmed by Too Many Medications

Abstract: Every day, 750 older Americans are hospitalized due to serious side effects from one or more medications. To stem the tide of harm, the Lown Institute today released Eliminating Medication Overload: A National Action Plan.

Publication: Lake Oconee Boomers

Date Published: January 28, 2020

Author(s): The Lake Oconee Boomers Team

Publication: Lake Oconee Boomers

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To eliminate medication overload, serious cultural, educational, and policy changes are needed. This action plan offers recommendations for policymakers, health care institutions, clinicians, and patients across five key categories to reduce harm from multiple medication use. Suggested Citation: Eliminating medication overload: A national action plan. Working Group on Medication Overload. Brookline, MA: The Lown Institute, 2020. DOI: https://doi.org/10.46241/LI.YLBW4885

Pharmaceutical marketing is a significant factor in the growing public health crisis of medication overload, which puts millions of older adults at risk of preventable harm and premature death. This issue brief provides recommendations to reduce pharmaceutical industry influence by limiting pharma sales rep visits to clinicians and direct-to-consumer advertising.

This issue brief provides recommendations for clinical practice guidelines and electronic health records that would give clinicians the information they need to appropriately prescribe and deprescribe.