TL;DR
A KFF Health News report, discussed on WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30, highlights how older adults can remain on prescriptions that may no longer be needed or may interact with other drugs. Experts interviewed for the report urge patients and caregivers to review medication lists with a doctor or pharmacist rather than stopping medicines on their own.
KFF Health News reporter Paula Span urged older adults and caregivers to ask clinicians to review long-term prescriptions during a Sept. 30 appearance on WAMU’s Health Hub, highlighting the risk that medications can accumulate over time and contribute to side effects or intolerance. The report does not identify a new policy or study; it focuses on the need for regular, individualized medication checks.
Span, who writes The New York Times and KFF Health News column “The New Old Age,” discussed medicines older patients may continue taking even when their circumstances or the evidence about a drug have changed. The examples named in the source include aspirin and benzodiazepines. It does not say that either drug is inappropriate for every older adult; decisions depend on the patient and their clinical situation.
Physician K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said the likelihood of a side effect or intolerance rises as the number of prescriptions increases. “Once you get to six or seven prescription medications, you get a nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance,” he said. The report provides no study details or population figures alongside that estimate, so it should be understood as De Jonge’s statement rather than a finding explained in the article.
Span said prescriptions may remain part of a person’s routine after the original reason for taking them has changed or new research has emerged. Her advice, echoed by experts and pharmacists cited in the report, is to check with a doctor that each medicine is still appropriate. Patients should share a complete medication list, including nonprescription products, and discuss concerns with a clinician or pharmacist before changing how they take anything.
Why Medication Reviews Matter
A medication review can help a care team spot drugs that may no longer be needed, overlapping treatments, or combinations that warrant closer attention. This matters particularly for older adults who see multiple clinicians or have prescriptions added over time: one prescriber may not have the full picture unless the patient or caregiver provides it.
The report’s central point is not that people should stop taking common medicines, but that prescriptions should be revisited as health needs and medical evidence change. A structured conversation can give patients a chance to ask what each drug is for, whether its benefits still apply, and whether a safer or simpler plan is appropriate. Any reduction or discontinuation should be planned with a qualified clinician, since stopping some medicines abruptly can carry risks.
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How Prescriptions Accumulate
The KFF Health News report describes a gradual process: medications are prescribed for particular reasons, then remain in use as routines settle and a person’s health changes. Span said doctors make prescribing decisions based on the evidence available at the time, while research continues to develop. A clinician may not always revisit an older prescription unless the patient raises it or a review is scheduled.
The discussion took place on WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30. The supplied report does not provide the year, identify a newly published research paper, or lay out a specific deprescribing protocol. Its practical focus is on communication among patients, caregivers, doctors, and pharmacists.
““Once you get to six or seven prescription medications, you get a nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance.””
— K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center
pill organizer with medication list
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What the Report Does Not Establish
The source does not identify the year of the Sept. 30 broadcast or provide the evidence behind De Jonge’s estimate about side effects among people taking six or seven prescriptions. It also does not quantify how often older adults are prescribed medicines they no longer need, or establish that any specific drug is unsuitable for a particular patient.
The report does not describe an individual patient case or announce clinical guidance that applies to everyone. The appropriateness of a medication depends on factors such as diagnosis, dose, other treatments, and personal medical history. Readers should not interpret the discussion as a direction to stop or reduce a prescription without professional advice.
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Bring a Full Medication List
Patients and caregivers can start by making a current list of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements, then asking a doctor or pharmacist to review it. Useful questions include what each medication is treating, whether it is still needed, how its benefits and risks are being monitored, and whether it could interact with anything else being taken.
The report does not announce a follow-up event or a deadline for action. The next step described is an individual review with a qualified health professional. Any changes should be agreed with the prescriber, with a plan for monitoring symptoms and follow-up where appropriate.
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Key Questions
What was the news development?
KFF Health News’ Paula Span discussed medication reviews for older adults on WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30. The report encourages patients and caregivers to check whether long-term prescriptions remain appropriate.
Does the report say older adults should stop taking aspirin or benzodiazepines?
No. It names aspirin and benzodiazepines as examples discussed, but does not say they are inappropriate for everyone. Patients should ask a clinician about their own medicines and should not stop a prescription without professional guidance.
What should patients ask during a medication review?
Ask what each medicine is for, whether it is still needed, what side effects or interactions to watch for, and whether the treatment plan should be revisited. Bring a complete list of prescriptions, nonprescription medicines, and supplements.
What did the report say about taking six or seven prescriptions?
Geriatrician K. Eric De Jonge said that at six or seven prescription medicines, there is a “nearly 100% chance” of some side effect or intolerance. The supplied report does not give the supporting study details, so the statement is attributable to De Jonge and is not a personalized risk estimate.
Source: rss
