Organised by the FIP Health and Medicines Information Section in collaboration with the FIP Technology Advisory Group & the FIP Community Pharmacy Section
Chair(s)
Dr Amy Page, The University of Western Australia & Prof. Anton Pottegård, Odense University Hospital, Denmark
Introduction:
The proportion of older adults worldwide taking five or more medications (polypharmacy) continues to rise, largely due to the need to manage multiple chronic conditions, or multimorbidity. While these medications aim to improve health outcomes, the accumulation can often lead to inappropriate polypharmacy, increasing the risk of harm to older people. This trend underscores the importance of addressing medication management in the elderly, as the balance between benefits and risks becomes more delicate with advancing age.
Deprescribing is an intervention focused on safely reducing or discontinuing medications that may no longer be necessary or appropriate as a person’s health status, goals, and circumstances change. This approach recognises that the risks and benefits of medications can evolve over time, with a growing evidence base now supporting its practice; a recent review, for example, identified 286 studies reporting on health outcomes after deprescribing. However, the lack of broad guidelines and a comprehensive evidence base still hampers its implementation in clinical settings. This session will offer structured guidance on identifying suitable candidates for deprescribing, assessing continued treatment needs, and ensuring safe medication reduction with appropriate monitoring to improve safety and effectiveness while reducing the overall medication burden on older adults.
Programme:
| 14:30 – 14:35 | Introduction by the chairs |
| 14:35 – 14:55 | Deprescribing: Aligning treatment with life expectancy, patient preferences, and quality of life |
| Prof. Dee Mangin, McMaster University, Canada | |
| 14:55 – 15:15 | Big data: Data analytics to identify deprescribing opportunities and influence healthcare |
| Prof. Anton Pottegård, Odense University Hospital, Denmark | |
| 15:15 – 15:35 | Streamlining medications in older adults: A guided approach to safe deprescribing |
| Dr Xisco Reus, Son Serra-La Vileta Medical Centre, Spain | |
| 15:35 – 15:55 | Panel discussion |
| 15:55 – 16:00 | Closing remarks |
Learning objectives:
To describe the impact of deprescribing interventions on health outcomes for older adults, guided by evidence-based recommendations from a recent meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
1. To identify appropriate older people who may benefit from deprescribing by assessing factors such as age, comorbidities and medication regimen.
2. To explore strategies for deprescribing medications, ensuring that pharmacists are prepared to manage the potential consequences of deprescribing and provide ongoing support for both patients and their caregivers.
3. To recognise potential adverse drug withdrawal events and understand strategies to minimise the risk in older populations such as tapering and monitoring requirements.
4. To emphasise deprescribing as a sustainable practice that reduces medication burden, healthcare costs, and the environmental impact of unnecessary medication use, in line with broader health system goals.
Take home messages:
Pharmacists are increasingly active participants in the decision to deprescribe medications in older people with complex medication regimens. This session will equip pharmacists with practical tools to implement deprescribing in their daily practice. The use of evidence-based guidelines will be central to the session, with a focus on translating recommendations into real-world pharmacy settings, to ensuring patient safety and optimising medication regimens.
FIP Development Goals:
Please see below the FIP Development Goals related to the session.
FIP Development Goal 6: Leadership Development
FIP Development Goal 15: People-Centred Care
FIP Development Goal 19: Patient Safety
