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A survey conducted by Consumer Reports had some frightening information: Nearly 70 percent of the survey respondents who regularly take prescription medications took steps to afford their drugs in the

A survey conducted by Consumer Reports had some frightening information: Nearly 70 percent of the survey respondents who regularly take prescription medications took steps to afford their drugs in the past year. And 28 percent
resortedwithout their doctor's or pharmacist's knowledgeto at least one potentially dangerous measure to do so. Specifically, they:

Failed to fill a prescription (16 percent).

Skipped a dose (16 percent).

Took an expired medication (11 percent).

Cut pills in half (10 percent).

Shared a prescription (4 percent).

So the question then becomes what can the health industry do about this alarming trend? Well for starters a complete review of current prescription assistance programs is needed. Minimum income to qualify may especially need to examined to determine if in this economy that qualification is realistic or not. Second, every drug rep should be communicating to physicians that there is an alarming trend of non-compliance and that the need to ensure HCP's communicate to patients that they need to fill and comply with Rx's. Finally the drug industry needs a national advertising program to scare people into compliance. They need to let people know the consequences of NOT going to their doctor when they have a problem or not filling or taking their Rx's. If this trend continues it could add to a health care system already over leveraged with money.

According to IMS Prescription sales only increased 1.3% and with this survey it's easy to see why that number is so low. Time for the drug industry to try and tackle this issue as hard as they tackle messages to consumers for drugs.