A roundtable event hosted by IPPOSI on medication compliance and adherence took place in Dublin on June 27th. This event heard that up to 50% of patients with serious long-term medical conditions do not take their medication or take it incorrectly.

The reasons for poor medication adherence are complex and can include cost, poor communication and education about the medication from healthcare workers, as well as fear about side effects and a lack of awareness of the potential risks if the medication is not taken. Kitty O’Connor, CEO of the Alpha One Foundation, provided a patient voice at the meeting which heard contributions from a number of expert speakers.

KEY CONTRIBUTORS;

• Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, Secretary General of the Department of Health
• Dr Roisin Adams, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics
• Prof Seamas Donnelly, Consultant Respiratory Physician
• Prof Ken McDonald, Consultant Cardiologist
• Ms Kitty O’Connor, Chief Executive, Alpha One Foundation
• Dr Frank Doyle, Division of Population Health Sciences (Psychology), RCSI
• Dr Colm Galligan, Medical Director, MSD
• Prof Brian Caulfield, ARCH & INSIGHT Research Centres, UCD
• Ms Naomi Fitzgibbon, Cancer Information Service, Irish Cancer Society

The event was addressed by Department of Health secretary general Dr. Ambrose McLoughlin who announced new prescribing guidance would be issued to doctors later this year. He also announced that the Health Information Bill which will provide a legislative framework for improved guidance of health information will be published by his department by the end of October. Coverage of this event appeared in the Irish Times Health Supplement on July 2nd, and a full outcome report is to be published by IPPOSI which will identify areas of consensus and those areas which require further debate.