What are the main risks of long-term prescription medication use in the UK?

Long-term use can lead to devastating side effects, dependence, and severe withdrawal symptoms, with risks often not fully explained to patients.

Which common medications are highlighted as risky by pharmacist Deborah Grayson?

Deborah Grayson warns about codeine, statins, antidepressants, gabapentin, PPIs, steroid creams, and laxatives due to their potential for harm.

How can patients in the UK avoid problems with prescription drugs?

Patients should discuss necessity with their GP, explore safer alternatives, and ensure regular reviews of medication benefits versus harms.

Home / Health / UK Health Crisis: Millions on Risky Meds

UK Health Crisis: Millions on Risky Meds

21 Nov

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Summary

Pharmacist warns of millions trapped on prescription drugs.
Devastating side effects and dependence are often ignored.
Lack of review fuels an epidemic of long-term prescribing.

UK Health Crisis: Millions on Risky Meds

Millions of Britons are in danger due to prolonged use of prescription medications, according to top pharmacist Deborah Grayson. She asserts that patients are often left on drugs for years without proper review, facing devastating side effects and potential dependence, with risks frequently hidden from them.

Grayson points to an epidemic of long-term prescribing, driven partly by NHS pressures and a culture of quick fixes. Medications like codeine, statins, antidepressants, gabapentin, pregabalin, steroid creams, PPIs, and laxatives are highlighted for their significant risks, including addiction, severe withdrawal, and organ damage, often with unclear benefits for preventative use.

The pharmacist urges patients to actively discuss medication necessity with their GPs and explore safer alternatives, emphasizing the importance of reviewing benefits versus harms. Without clear plans and medical supervision, many individuals remain trapped on potentially harmful drugs, unaware of the serious consequences for their health.

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