News Almost one million Australians aged 70 and over take five or more medications daily, placing them at increased risk of unwanted side effects, more frequent hospital admissions and falls. The number of older Australians taking five or more medicines increased by 52% between 2006 and 2017. The most recent figures, taken from a joint University of Western Australia and University of New South Wales study , found the number of older people taking five or more medicines increased by 52% between 2006 and 2017, despite evidence that it places patients at risk of harm and is associated with poor clinical outcomes . Dr Mark Morgan, Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care (REC–QC), told newsGP while polypharmacy is sometimes seen as an ‘inevitable’ part of ageing, GPs should be able to engage in targeted de-prescribing. ‘Many GPs have observed how patients gather medicines as they gather […]