Practice pharmacists and the opportunity to support general practitioners in deprescribing in the older person

Problems associated with the use of medicines in society continue to be a significant public health burden, with the brunt being borne by older people.1-3 The higher risk of medicine‐related adverse events and hospitalisations in older adults is caused primarily by age‐related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, and a higher number of chronic conditions and resultant polypharmacy, which is often associated with the use of potentially inappropriate medicines.3-5 Adverse drug events (ADEs) frequently involve predictable high‐risk situations, such as multiple drug use in the elderly, which are amenable to prevention through better systems and ways of working by health professionals.