Medication reviews are a long-standing clinic service provided by pharmacists in BC. They carry many advantages, both for the patient and the pharmacist.

For patients, medication reviews first and foremost provide clarity on their medication regimen. When medications are first started they typically have a very clear purpose, but over time that purpose can be forgotten as other medications are started and stopped. Medication reviews allow the pharmacist to clearly lay out the purpose and benefits of each medication with the patient and explain how they work in combination with other medications for the same condition. Sometimes side effects can appear over time, and these can also be discussed. Sometimes drug interactions arise that can’t be explained by side effects alone, and a pharmacist can help discover the culprits in these situations during discussion with the patient.

From a pharmacist’s perspective, medication reviews are a valuable tool to getting a full picture of a patient’s medication use. Not everything in the pharmacy’s system is always up to date, as doctors can verbally change directions to patients without issuing new prescriptions to the pharmacy, and medications can be stopped or possibly restarted without a pharmacist knowing. Non-prescription drug use can affect a patient’s prescription drug use, and knowing everything someone is taking can help prevent future drug interactions.