The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7321 p558
16 October 2004

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· Adherence
· Medicines waste
· Community pharmacy
· Brand names
· Tuberculosis
· CPD
· Counterfeit medicines
· Geography

Letters to the Editor

Adherence

Do we listen to patients?

From Mr K. A. T. Ramsden, MRPharms

Rob Horne’s comments regarding non-adherence with drugs and patient beliefs (PJ, 9 October, p525) may seem, to many, like a statement of the obvious. And, of course, that is what makes his remarks so brilliant. It is so obvious that few see it and as a result many professionals fail to address what is, in my view, the most important single issue facing the future management of health.

In order to understand a patient’s beliefs, we must first listen. If we are then to change their beliefs then we must be prepared, among other things,to fail gracefully. Surely it is better for a patient to decide not to use an intervention than it is for them (and us) to pretend they will. Anyone who monitors waste medicines will already know how big (and costly) this problem already is.

In short, we need to treat our patients as adults and allow them to make their own choices. This is obvious, I know, but in the culture of health management do we really allow ourselves to do this?

Kurt Ramsden
Guisborough, Cleveland

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