Enhancing medication management in older adults: Can deprescribing work in Malaysia?

As Malaysia’s population ages, older adults often take many medicines, increasing the risk of side effects and inappropriate prescriptions. This thesis examined medication use in older adults, explored why doctors and pharmacists hesitate to stop medicines, and developed a local deprescribing tool (MALPIP) to guide safer prescribing. The research showed that many older adults were exposed to potentially harmful medications, and although pharmacist-led reviews helped reduce medicines at hospital discharge, these benefits were hard to sustain long-term. The findings highlight the importance of ongoing support and policy strategies to ensure safer, more appropriate medication use for older Malaysians.