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Patients may take as many as 10 kinds of drugs, especially when they have multiple conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Some patients are prescribed a month’s worth of drugs at a time, and th

11 Comments

Kazumasa Oki, vice president of Tokyo Pharmaceutical Association. According to a survey conducted by the Japan Pharmaceutical Association, an estimated ¥47.5 billion worth of drugs are left unused annually by patients 75 or older. (Yomiuri Shimbun)

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So true. I once helped investigate the death of a woman who had been dumping her multiple medications (some dangerous in combination with others) into a large plastic garbage bag. If she didn't feel good, she would literally grab a hand full without checking what or how many. What I don't understand, is why her husband let it go so far.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yup. I see people go in for colds with symptoms too late to prevent, and walk out with their own private pharmacies. Unnecessary.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

And always prescribing antibiotics for cold symptoms contributes to making the viruses stronger

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@sensei258

And always prescribing antibiotics for cold symptoms contributes to making the viruses stronger

and not only the viruses but also the pharmacies...

First : 20 different pills a day - followed by a wrong diagnosis are what caused my fiancé to be in a vegetative coma for two years and three months before finally passing away...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Medication adherence/compliance in elderly, polymedicated patients has and will always be an issue, that's why we have medication organizers, improved packaging or programs to help those patients.

No doubt physicians and pharmacists could/should take a little more time to clarify treatments with their (often Alzheimer or pre A.) patients though i.e what to take and when/at what time, how often etc but there is no easy fix as time/cost is the main issue here. (may take an hour or more to explain in more detail their treatment to elderly patients.)

Am not absolutely sure what Oki's point is though: is he in favour of a limited amount of drugs given out per prescription i.e fortnightly or even weekly rather than monthly? For all drugs/treatments or only for some? Wouldn't it cause even more confusion to have weekly prescriptions alongside 30 tablets/box?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We are constantly trashing meds, first of all they always over prescribe, instead of giving you one med to do the job you can end up with 2-3 & they always toss in the powder so your stomach doesn't get upset......sheesh

And most of the time the drugs themselves are not labelled well, if you lose the sheet listing everything or toss it all in one of the little bags it becomes very easy to forget which is which & how many to take & when, its a mess.

And if the person is elderly or starting to forget stuff, its downright dangerous

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@ Viking - Sorry you had to go through that. I hope the pain has assuaged a bit

0 ( +0 / -0 )

prescribing antibiotics for cold symptoms contributes to making the viruses stronger

This is totally not true! It is 100% false.

Prescribing antibiotics for a cold symptom is just a waste of money and the antibiotic gets passed through the system.

Prescribing a short regimen of antibiotics for a bacterial infection is what causes immunities. Or when a patient feels better and stops the required dosage.

Ignorance is not blissful. Read and study.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

You have NO CHANCE of getting well when you take that many drugs -- there are ZERO studies regarding the effect on the body of using particular drugs in combination with each other.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Take charge of your own health now instead of handling it over to the drug companies. Just locate non-drug alternatives to your health challenges and research information to help you understand more about how you can improve your health without any drugs or surgery though simple lifestyle modifications. I believe there are basic tenets of optimal health that have always remained permanent truth, regardless of what modern science comes up with next period.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@noven:

Try convincing a person with Diabetes 1 that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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