On average in this country all individuals above 70 take 3.5 medications each day; most of which are prescribed by a doctor. This is only an average - some take none some take  a lot more.<p>

When required for clinical reasons , correctly prescribed and consumed medications are  life saving and should be taken as instructed by the doctor. Many other things , however, can  occur in this  area.  Most commonly prescribed courses are not completed; sometimes  tablets cause side-effects and not 'reported'; sometimes too many  medications are taken at the same time without  a proper assessment of 'needs'; sometimes  date-expired medicines are taken without the doctors knowledge; sometimes  medications are purchased off the shelf in supermarket and self -prescribed  without anyone knowing it!!!  <p>

So  you can see there are so many issues and  'variations'!  It has been very well known  that many prescribed medicines  'react adveresly'  with another prescribed medicine  which has  has not been spotted.   Often  for some adverse effects ,instead of discontinuing the offending agent , another new drug is prescribed.  The Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group plan to come heavy on this and is beginning to issue guideleines to doctors to  become extra vigilant about such situations.

At the end of the  day , the 'responsibility' for 'health 'measures' fall on the shoulders of ordinary people  ie  the patients. <p>

My earnest advice is  'please be careful and check what medications  you are taking and if in doubt , ask your doctor or the practice nurse or the pharmacist'  Keep yourself safe from the undesirable effects of medicines