Pharmacist-led medication reviews to reduce medications and harms in older adults
Deprescribing in Outpatient Internal Medicine Practices
This project tries to see if pharmacist-led medication reviews and deprescribing can reduce the number of medications, falls, and hospital visits for people 75 and older who take six or more medicines.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 75 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Wake Forest University Health Sciences Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT07226960 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Pharmacists (PharmD) will perform comprehensive medication reviews with geriatric outpatients and work with patients and their providers through shared decision making to deprescribe or reduce doses where appropriate. The intervention is delivered in outpatient internal medicine clinics and targets patients aged 75+ who are taking six or more medications. Key outcomes include change in medication count, falls, hospitalizations, and patient-reported quality of life. Patients in hospice, skilled nursing facilities, or receiving active cancer treatment are excluded.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 75 years or older who are taking six or more medications and receive outpatient care at the participating clinic are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Patients in hospice or palliative care, residents of skilled nursing facilities, or those receiving active oncology treatment are excluded and would not be expected to benefit from this outpatient deprescribing approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have fewer unnecessary medicines, a lower risk of falls and hospital visits, and improved quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous deprescribing programs led by pharmacists or multidisciplinary teams have reduced medication burden and improved some patient outcomes, though evidence on reducing falls and hospitalizations has been variable.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 75 years or older * taking 6 or more medications Exclusion Criteria: * patients in hospice or palliative care * in Skilled Nursing Facility * receiving cancer/oncology treatment
Where this trial is running
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Wake Forest University Health Sciences — Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Julia Clements, PharmD — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Anna Gambrell, PharmD
- Email: anna.gambrell@advocatehealth.org
- Phone: 980-505-4718
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.