The failure to take medications as prescribed, also known as non-adherence, is a serious problem that can lead to substantial worsening of a disease, increased health care costs and even death. Estimates show 1 in 5 new prescriptions are never filled. Of those patients who do fill their prescription, 50% take their medication incorrectly or inconsistently, and 29% will stop taking them due to side effects. Non-adherence is to blame for up to 50% of treatment failures, 33-69% of all hospitalizations, and approximately 125,000 deaths every year.
Americans are not filling or taking their medications as prescribed the problem costs more and affects more people than any one disease
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