More education of health care professionals about medication effects in older persons could reduce the risks of medication-related problems. A good example is to support the certification of geriatric pharmacists once they demonstrate their knowledge in this area.

In addition, there is evidence that problems in the organization of care in some health systems result in medication use patterns that are especially dangerous to older patients. And, there are serious gaps in the knowledge base that need to be filled by further study. According to the special report "When Medicine Hurts Instead of Helps: Preventing Medication Problems in Older Persons", done by the Alliance for Aging Research, these gaps are:

• Insufficient research into the effects that age-related changes in body composition and functioning have on medication effects.
• Insufficient information about medication effects in elderly persons, especially the oldest age groups, from pre-marketing clinical trials.
• Lack of a system for collecting, processing, analyzing, and disseminating information about medication effects in the elderly population, especially after a medication is approved for marketing. Click here for more details.