The healthcare industry isn’t built for coming off medication
Starting a new medication is relatively easy once you have a prescription from your doctor, but stopping is much harder, because from research to revenue, the healthcare industry has little interest in getting people off drugs
Modern medicine boasts a vast array of drugs to treat various ailments. Doctors often prescribe pills to help patients recover from illness. However, the medical system struggles with ceasing medication use. Antidepressants, for instance, are effective for some, but we lack a clear understanding of what to do once their effects fade or life circumstances improve.
These drugs are generally safe and can be prescribed for extended periods, despite the potential long-term implications. Unfortunately, many individuals find it challenging to discontinue their medication, often receiving little guidance from healthcare professionals.
The issue begins well before prescriptions are issued. Clinical trials are usually short-term, lasting only a few weeks, and there's a lack of financial incentives or resources to investigate the long-term use of medications or when it's appropriate to stop. Consequently, clinical guidance is incomplete, or absent. Few industries are eager to assist people in discontinuing their products, but healthcare should be an exception.
Antidepressants are just one example. The opioid crisis is partly due to a careless approach to prescribing drugs, and a failure to regulate how frequently physicians should reassess patients' dosages. Many medications, from beta-blockers to acid-reducing stomach drugs, are beneficial in the short term, but can lead to serious long-term problems.
When these issues arise, physicians often prescribe additional medications to manage side effects, a phenomenon known as a "prescription cascade," which can be particularly problematic for older adults managing multiple health issues. There's a general reluctance in most industries to help people stop using their products, but healthcare should be an exception.
We need to address the challenges that arise when people stop taking medication, and develop comprehensive guidance and support, so that deprescribing can be a valid option when it's the right time to make a change.
Written by urgent.news from New Scientist's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
