Disturbing Trend: Americans are Stretching Prescriptions

In a disturbing trend a survey has found that in the last 3 months millions of Americans are stretching their drug prescriptions, saving themselves money, by either taking the medication less often or by taking a smaller dosage than the physician prescribed.

Findings of this survey, conducted by independent market research firm, ICR / International Communications Research, project that over 13.5 million Americans, equivalent to over 1/5 of U.S. adults who use long-term prescribed medication (including those taking injectable medications), in the last three months, have taken steps to stretch out their medications, either reducing the dosage or taking it less often than prescribed.

Over 12 million Americans taking oral medications and over 1 million adult Americans taking injectable medications are projected to have begun stretching their prescriptions in the last three months, based on questions about recent behaviors in taking medication.

About one in ten patients who take even critical medications that must be injected by a health professional, like a physician or home health care service, have figured out ways to stretch out these often very expensive doctor recommended prescriptions. Overall, for injectable medicines, the percentage of patients who indicate stretching prescriptions in the last three months ranges from 9% (half million Americans) for medications injected by a health care professional, to 22% (more than ¾ of a million Americans) for self-injected drugs like insulin for diabetics.

Issues of overall cost and the recent financial climate, including factors relating to insurance coverage and medication co-pay are given by respondents as the most cited reasons that they have begun stretching out their medication prescriptions. Further research is required to more clearly understand all of the reasons for prescription stretching and to show ongoing trends in this new economic environment.