A few patients make lots of medicine returns
A few patients return a large proportion of the unused drugs handed in to pharmacies, Swedish researchers have found.
Anders Ekedahl of the National Corporation of Swedish Pharmacies said
that research into the issue of returns was prompted by the return of
medicines after the death of one patient. This consisted of 212 packs
of 36 different medicines dispensed over a three-year period and worth
approximately SKr62,000 (£46,600).
A survey of medicines returned to two pharmacies in Malmö over a
six-week period revealed that 1,077 packs were returned from 191 patients.
Fifty per cent of patients handed in only one or two packs. However,
another 19 patients returned 12 or more packs each,
accounting for half of all returns between them. All 13 of the patients
who returned 20 or more packs, totalling 250 packs for this group, were
aged over 65 years.
Dr Ekedahl says that the results are similar to those from other research
suggesting older patients may hoard up to 30 months’ treatment
at home. He suggests that actions to reduce non-compliance should be
targeted at the group of patients who make the most returns (Journal
of Social and Adminstrative Pharmacy 2003;20:257).
JSAP closure The
Journal of Social and Administrative Pharmacy has been closed by its publisher following continued losses.
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