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FEATURE: Andrew Cole Saving the planet as well as lives BMJ 2009; 338: b933 [Full text]

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Reduced prescribing can benefit the planet and the patient

Judith H Harvey   (28 March 2009)

Reduced prescribing can benefit the planet and the patient 28 March 2009
Judith H Harvey, Freelance GP London NW8 9QG Send response to journal: Re: Reduced prescribing can benefit the planet and the patient	As Andrew Cole says, a staggering proportion of prescribed medication is never taken, so does patients no good, or is taken incorrectly, so does patients no good and puts them at risk of adverse effects. It is up to us as doctors to listen – really listen – to our patients, so that they feel able to tell us what they really want and how they find taking the pills we have prescribed. We would learn a lot, and instead of colluding with our patients in the myth that they are taking their medication as prescribed, we could negotiate a plan which both doctor and patient buy into, and which may often involve prescribing less and sometimes not at all. Through this everyday activity, all doctors can contribute to the sustainability of both the planet and the patient. Competing interests: None declared