With people living longer and often managing multiple health conditions, many patients especially the elderly end up taking 5 or more medicines daily. This is called polypharmacy, and while sometimes necessary, it can do more harm than good.
Risks of polypharmacy include:
Drug–drug interactions, (one medicine altering the effect of another)
Side effects piling up, leaving patients weaker
Poor adherence, since it’s hard to manage so many medicines
Overprescribing, where outdated or duplicate medicines remain in use
For example, a patient on blood pressure drugs, diabetes medicines, antibiotics, and painkillers might unknowingly face harmful interactions.
The solution lies in medication reviews where doctors and pharmacists periodically assess all prescriptions, discontinue unnecessary ones, and simplify treatment. In India, the National Health Mission has started promoting rational use of medicines, and CDSCO emphasizes “deprescribing” as part of safe pharmacovigilance practices.
Should India make “medicine audits” mandatory for all patients on long-term treatments?
That’s a very valid point! With so many patients especially the elderly people taking multiple medicines without knowing harm is concerning. We can prevent it by increasing awareness to improve safety and give knowledge of reduce side effects.
Yes, India should make medication Audits compulsory for patients with a long term treatments. Consulting with clinical pharmacist before prescribing an unhealthy amount of drugs is required. It is important to follow de prescribing unless required.
To be honest, I think routine medication audits could be really beneficial, particularly for elderly people who end up taking a lot of medicines daily. Doctors and pharmacists may simplify life, avoid dangerous confusion, and eliminate unnecessary items with a quick review.
Polypharmacy is a growing concern while doctor often initiate multiple drugs and is more often seen in geriatric patients . As a pharmD graduate we can have our role in polypharmacy while reviewing the drugs , rationalizing , drug interaction monitoring , patient counselling , ADR reporting , deprescribing support , interdisciplinary role . But we should get a role as clinical pharmacist . Every hospital should must have a post for clinical pharmacist compulsory we can do provide more safety to patient beyond the dispanciary of drug .
Yes, India should make medicine audits mandatory for long-term treatments. Regular audits help prevent polypharmacy, reduce unnecessary or duplicate drugs, improve safety, and ensure patients get the most effective and economical therapy.
Polypharmacy is like a silent problem—most patients don’t even realize they’re taking too many medicines until side effects pile up. Especially in India, multiple doctors + old prescriptions = a risky combo.
I feel mandatory medicine audits could be a game-changer. If doctors + pharmacists review all prescriptions every few months, we can cut unnecessary drugs, avoid harmful interactions, and even reduce patient costs.
Sometimes in healthcare, “less is more”—and deprescribing can save lives just as much as prescribing.
What do you think—should pharmacists be given a bigger role in these audits to make them more effective?
Risks of polypharmacy include:
The solution lies in medication reviews where doctors and pharmacists periodically assess all prescriptions, discontinue unnecessary ones, and simplify treatment. In India, the National Health Mission has started promoting rational use of medicines, and CDSCO emphasizes “deprescribing” as part of safe pharmacovigilance practices.
What do you think—should pharmacists be given a bigger role in these audits to make them more effective?