• Nearly half of all adults worldwide have at least one chronic condition. 
• Yet, adherence to medication for these conditions is as low as 50% in high-income countries and even lower in lower income countries. 
• Non-adherence costs between $100 billion -$290 billion in the USA, €125 billion across Europe and AU$7 billion in Australia. 

The International Longevity Centre-UK (ILC) has today launched a new report, which calls for better support to help people to stick to their “doctor’s orders” by taking their prescribed medication regiments.  

According to the report, nearly half of all adults and approximately 8% of children (aged 5-17) worldwide have a chronic condition. Yet, adherence to medication for these conditions is as low as 50% in high income countries and even lower in lower income countries.  

ILC, the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society, argues that encouraging adherence has the potential to not only improve health outcomes and longevity but improve the cost-effectiveness of medications. The research, which is based on a literature review and series of interviews, finds that 10% of hospitalisations in older people are attributed to non-adherence and that the typical non-adherent hospital patient requires three extra medical visits a year for an increased cost of $2000 per annum.  

The estimated overall cost of non-adherence, defined as taking less than 80% of a prescribed dose of medication, is between $100 billion -$290 billion in the USA, €125 billion across Europe and AU$7 billion in Australia. 

To increase levels of adherence, the “Doctor’s orders” report calls for urgent prioritisation of adherence as an effective disease management tool, funding annual medicine reviews between patients and their providers to identify gaps in care and medication access.  

Alongside this, ILC argue there should be investment in healthcare technology for universal electronic health records, so providers and patients alike can access their full medical record at any time as a tool to help with medication adherence. 

Arunima Himawan, Research Fellow at ILC, argued: 

“Frankly, it’s a scandal that almost half of medications we prescribe aren’t being taken properly. There is a massive, missed opportunity for Governments and healthcare systems to intervene. It’s essentially money down the drain.” 

We’re getting better at preventing, managing and treating conditions. But it doesn’t end there. A prescription or a lifestyle change is just the starting point. With more and more of us living longer with multiple conditions, it really shouldn’t just be up to us as individuals. Trying to navigate 10 different-coloured pills each day isn’t an easy task. 

Governments must drive solving the adherence problem. Measuring adherence at a national level is a key first step, as is investing in person-centred interventions for people at risk of and already living with chronic conditions.” 

Dr Greg Friberg, Vice President Medical at Amgen for Europe, Canada, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America:  

“Amgen is pleased to support this important new report on adherence to medicines and medical orders, and hope it helps to shine a light on this historically difficult challenge.”  

“Adherence is at the core of health outcomes for medicines. While we strive to make medicines that are both efficacious and safe, no medicine will work if it is left on the shelf. People living with chronic diseases are particularly susceptible to poorer health outcomes if medicines are not taken as prescribed. By working together across the health care system, we hope that this report and its recommendations can lead to a renewed focus on adherence as a critical factor in maximising health outcomes”. 

Contact 

For press queries, please contact press@ilcuk.org.uk or +44 (0)208 638 0832. Spokespeople are available for interview. 

Notes 

You can download a copy of the report from: https://ilcuk.org.uk/doctors-orders/  

ILC will be launching this report at a webinar this afternoon at 1.00pm – 3.00pm BST. To register for this event, visit this link. 

The “Doctor’s Orders” report has been supported by Amgen and co-authored by Brighter Together Consulting. 

This research is part of ILC’s Delivering prevention in ageing world programme. To find out more about the programme, which is focussing not on only “why” we ought to prioritise prevention across the life course but “how” we can deliver it, visit this link. 

About the International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC)  

ILC is the UK’s specialist think tank on the impact of longevity on society, and what happens next. ILC was established in 1997 as one of the members of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance, an international network on longevity.  

We work with central government, local government, the private sector, and professional and academic associations in the UK and across the world to provoke conversations and pioneer solutions for a society where everyone can thrive, regardless of age.