A tool to safely reduce unnecessary medicines for older adults in India
Official title: Development and Validation of a Deprescribing Tool Relevant to the Indian Context and Evaluation of Its Effectiveness in Reducing Inappropriate Polypharmacy in the Elderly
Run by Indian Council of Medical Research · NCT07114094 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a tool used by doctors can reduce prescriptions of potentially inappropriate medicines for people aged 60 and older in India.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 60 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 1650 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Indian Council of Medical Research Government |
| Locations | 2 sites (Bangalore, Karnataka and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | February 2026 |
| Study ends | September 2026 |
| Registry record updated | August 14, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07114094 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are people aged 60 or older who visit the General Medicine or Community and Family Medicine outpatient clinics at participating sites, especially those taking multiple medications.
✕Probably not a fit
People who do not visit participating physicians, are not taking potentially inappropriate or multiple medications, or are unwilling to have medication changes are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will develop and validate a deprescribing tool tailored to the Indian context and then implement it at multiple centers. Participating physicians will be randomized to either use the tool (intervention) or continue usual care (control), while their patients receive routine outpatient consultations. The main outcome is the change in the proportion of prescriptions that include at least one potentially inappropriate medication (PIM). The study also includes qualitative work to identify barriers and facilitators to using the tool in practice.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could lower the use of risky or unnecessary medications among older adults, reducing adverse effects, drug interactions, and medication costs.
How similar studies have gone: International deprescribing tools have shown improvements in prescription quality, but a tool specifically adapted and validated for the Indian medication landscape and care practices is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Elderly patients (≥ 60 years) of either sex, visiting the General Medicine/ Community and Family Medicine OPD of the study sites Exclusion Criteria: * Patients not willing to participate in the study
Where it's running
-
St. John's Medical College, Bangalore, India
Bangalore, Karnataka, India Recruiting -
All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ratinder Jhaj, DM
- Email: rati.pharm@aiimsbhopal.edu.in
- Phone: +917773002096
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Dignity Therapy for Older Adults in Long-Term Care
This study tests dignity therapy to help people 65 and older in long-term care see their lives as meaningful and preserve their sense of self.
-
Intravenous iron to improve quality of life in older adults after acute coronary syndrome
This trial will try a single dose of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in people 65 and older with iron deficiency after an acute coronary event to see if it improves quality of life and reduces frailty and adverse outcomes over 12 months.
-
Continuous monitoring and stepwise control of laryngeal mask airway cuff pressure to reduce throat problems after surgery in older adults
This trial will test whether continuously monitoring and progressively adjusting the inflatable laryngeal mask airway (LMA) cuff pressure reduces postoperative sore throat and swallowing problems in people aged 60 or older having elective non-thoracic, non-head-and-neck surgery.
-
Dynamic versus isometric strength training for older adults with high blood pressure
This project will try dynamic and isometric strength exercises to see if they lower blood pressure and improve mental and muscle health in older adults with hypertension who take blood pressure medication.
-
Predicting function and quality-of-life decline after curative surgery for gastrointestinal cancer in people over 65
This project will try to see which pre- and perioperative factors predict loss of independence and worse quality of life over one year in people aged 65 and older who have curative surgery for gastrointestinal cancers.
-
Caregiver support at different stages of Alzheimer's disease
This project uses questionnaires to see how family caregivers help people aged 60 and older with Alzheimer's disease at different stages and what that care costs.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.