11 April 2005

Facts and stats about medicines use: 

• Annually, it is estimated that around 140,000 people are hospitalised because of a medicines mix-up.¹
  
• 20% of people said they did not know how to store their last prescription medicine.²
• 34% didn’t know the possible side effects, and only half knew what to do if they missed a dose or took too much.³
  

Some of these statistics may seem daunting, but there are things you can do to help avoid medicines mix-ups. When you are able to get to a doctor or pharmacist, you should always talk about the medicines you are taking.

You can use a Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet. CMI’s can be stored with your medicine and can be used as a helpful back-up to find out more about your medicine. CMI’s are available for each prescription medicine and for some medicines you purchase over-the-counter.

Written by the manufacturing pharmaceutical company, CMI will help you use your medicine in the most appropriate way. They do not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist but they can give you information on:

• What the medicine is used for
• How much of the medicine to take
• When to take the medicine
• Possible side effects
• How to store the medicine
• Possible interactions with other medicines.

To help you get to know your medicines, CMI’s are available on the National Prescribing Service Limited (NPS) website at www.nps.org.au/consumers. The website has many CMI leaflets in PDF format for you to view and print. If you do not find the CMI you are looking for on this site, you can get them from GPs, pharmacists, by calling Medicines Line or by contacting the company who makes the medicine. The NPS website also provides you with information about how to use the leaflets.

If you still have questions about your medicines, you can call NPS Medicines Line and talk with a pharmacist on 1300 888 763 between 9am and 6pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) for the cost of a local call (mobile calls may cost more).

___________________________________

1. Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Statistics on Medicines 1999-2000. AusInfo, Canberra: 2003
2. Roy Morgan Research. Quality use of medicines benchmark study. Roy Morgan Research, Sydney: 2003
3. Roy Morgan Research. Quality use of medicines benchmark study. Roy Morgan Research, Sydney: 2003

ENDS

National Prescribing Service Ltd (NPS) provides independent, evidence-based information and services to health professionals and the community on Quality Use of Medicines (QUM). To achieve this we work in partnership with GPs, pharmacists, specialists, other health professionals, Government, pharmaceutical industry, consumer organisations and the community. NPS is an independent, non-profit organisation funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.