Are we taking TOO MANY PILLS?

Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones reflects on some startling figures

- Dr Melanie Wynne-Jones

More than a quarter of us take at least three drugs regularly, according to NHS reports, and many pensioners take five or more. And, although many people won’t take any drug unless it’s essential, over 1.1 billion NHS prescriptions are issued each year in England alone, at a cost of £17.4 billion – numbers that are rising by about 5% a year. Brits also spent another £2.47 billion on over-the-counter medicines for pain, colds, hay fever, skin problems, insomnia and other ‘minor’ illnesses. So are we over-medicating life’s problems, instead of finding lifestyle and other solutions?

When drugs are good