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When medicines are used correctly, those prescribed and those purchased by you directly, they can be the single best means of staying healthy, getting better, and controlling chronic health problems. The right medication, in the right amount, administered in the right way to the right patient can produce a "medical miracle."

As a cost-effective alternative to many surgeries or to loss of health and independence, medicines are a genuine social good and are particularly useful given the challenge of delivering health care to an increasingly older population in the U.S. For older patients with multiple diseases, properly managed medicines can help them live longer and live better.

However, medications also have the potential to cause serious harm on a wide scale. Several recent studies point to the severity of the problem. The cost of medication-related problems in all age groups approaches $85 billion annually. The vast majority of these costs occur in people living in the community, while direct costs of medication-related problems amount to $4 billion in hospitalized patients and another $4 billion in nursing facility residents.

Due to the number of medications the elderly take and the biologic changes of aging and disease, they are extremely vulnerable. They are the greatest consumers of prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. They are more likely to be taking multiple medications at the same time for various health problems. And, their changes in physiology places them at greater risk of adverse reactions. Plus, older people are more likely to suffer hospitalization or psychiatric problems as a result of adverse medication reactions, and are at greater risk of memory loss, hip fracture, or auto-related injuries as a result.

Health care professionals who are better educated about medication effects in older persons could reduce the risks of adverse effects. While the impact of medication-related problems in the elderly population is serious, a large body of research has shown that these problems are largely preventable.

Medication-related problems can be prevented and avoided through better knowledge about appropriate medication use in the older population; through increased provider, patient, and care-giver education; through improvements in systems tracking medication use and outcomes in older people; and through new strategies to identify those older persons most at risk for medication-related problems.

Wouldn't you prefer that your pharmacist has the knowledge, skills and experience to provide you with relevant and current medication advice when you need it?