Americans urged to carry an up-to-date medication list

Oct 1 2009

A medication list can provide emergency medical personnel with lifesaving information and help prevent the nearly 1.5 million(1) people harmed by medication-related errors every year. But, a recent consumer survey commissioned by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and conducted by Harris Interactive revealed that while a large percentage of Americans have an up-to-date list of their prescription medications, only 28 percent of consumers carry the list with them at all times.

Among the people who do not have an up-to-date list, 49 percent said they never thought about it and 36 percent said they have no desire or need to carry the list. Females (31%) are more likely than males (24%) to carry a list. In addition, as consumers age, the likelihood that they carry a list significantly increases.

APhA recommends that people always carry an updated list of their prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins and herbal products. The list should include the name and dosages of the medications, as well as what conditions the medications treat and any of the patient's known allergies.

"One of the most important things consumers can do to take an active role in their health care is carry a current medication list," said Kristen Binaso, pharmacist and APhA national spokesperson. "Until electronic medical records are the standard and can be shared across providers, consumers should be sharing their list with all of their health care providers to minimize the risk of improper dosing, duplicating medications, and harmful drug interactions and side effects."

Throughout the year, but in particular during American Pharmacists Month in October, APhA is urging consumers to get to know their pharmacist through its "Know Your MEDICINE, Know Your PHARMACIST" public education campaign. The campaign underscores the link between knowing your pharmacist and the safe and effective use of medications. Improper medication use has been estimated to cost our nation $177 billion(2) annually in total direct and indirect healthcare costs.

The survey also found that although pharmacists are the medication experts, 77 percent of consumers do not know their pharmacists name and only 40 percent have asked their pharmacist questions about their health care needs in the past year. These statistics are troubling to pharmacists given that they are the most accessible health care providers to the public. While a large percentage of consumers do not know the name of their pharmacist, they still rank pharmacists as the second most trusted source of medication information behind doctors.

"Pharmacists are consumers' ally in helping them make the best use of their medications," said Binaso. "We have years of advanced training about how medications can work to improve health and how to help consumers use medications correctly and we are eager to become more involved with our patients' health."

To maximize the benefits from medications and minimize the potential for harmful drug interactions and side effects, APhA recommends that consumers ask these questions before taking any type of medication -- particularly those who take multiple medications, dietary supplements and/or OTC medications.

• When and how you should I take my medication?
• What should I do if I miss a dose?
• Are there any potential side effects?
• Will my medication(s) interact with other medications or food?
• How do I safely dispose of unused medications?

Other highlights in the survey include:

• Those who know their pharmacist's name are more likely to have an up-to-date medication list.
• Two-thirds of consumers accept their pharmacist's recommendations of OTC products at least most of the time.
• Sixty percent of respondents use one pharmacy to fill prescriptions.
• Fifty-two percent of respondents are likely to ask their pharmacist a question when they receive a prescription for the first time

SOURCE American Pharmacists Association