Quantifying the risks of deprescribing

Many medicines have long-term benefits and prevent illness. These preventative medicines are often stopped in the last few weeks of a person’s life, when it is clear they will die soon and not benefit from the medicines. However, the benefit of continuing to take preventative medicines over a longer period – the last year or two of life – may also be small, so it may be reasonable for patients to stop preventative medicines sooner.

However, there are important issues to think about. We do not know which people with limited life expectancy should consider stopping preventative medicines. And we do not know what the consequences of stopping preventative medicines might be for patients. In order that healthcare professionals and patients can make decisions about stopping preventative medicines with limited benefit, it is important we know the answers to these questions.

This study will use existing scientific research about the benefits and risks of different preventative medicines. We will take this information and use statistical methods to work out what the effect of stopping these medicines might be for people with limited life expectancy.

Our research will provide us with important information that will help decisions to be made about stopping preventative medicines. The information will be useful in its own right. It will also lead to some future research, which will explore how we can best discuss this information with patients, and what the impact of using this information might be on day-to-day practice. We will work closely with members of the public and patient groups, as well as health care professionals, to make sure their views inform the design of the research, interpretation of the findings, and how best to publicise results.

Amount awarded: £106,620