A national campaign focused on safer medicine use has launched with a renewed focus on tackling health misinformation and supporting evidence-based treatment decisions.
Deprescribing week highlights need for trusted advice
Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha), in partnership with the Australian Deprescribing Network (ADeN), has launched the 4th annual MedsAware: Deprescribing Action Week campaign (16–20 March).
The campaign aims to encourage conversations between consumers, carers and healthcare providers about the benefits of deprescribing and the risks associated with polypharmacy and inappropriate medicine use.
This year’s campaign highlights the growing challenge posed by medical misinformation, as people around the world increasingly encounter conflicting or inaccurate information about medicines online and on digital platforms.
AdPha President Assoc. Prof Tom Simpson FANZCAP (Lead&Mgmt) says pharmacists
provide crucial clarity as patients navigate this complex information environment.
“Today, in an era where health information — and misinformation — is more accessible than ever, pharmacists play a vital role in helping people navigate conflicting advice and make evidence-based decisions about their medicines,” he says.
“MedsAware: Deprescribing Action Week empowers Australians — along with their
carers, families and healthcare teams — to ensure conversations about medicines and treatment decisions are always guided by trusted clinical advice.”
Experts stress evidence-based care
AdeN Chair, Dr Emily Reeve, says the campaign highlights the importance of evidence-based advice on medicines.
“It’s encouraging to see people taking an active interest in their medicines and their
health,” she says.
“There are some excellent online resources, but with so much information
available, it can be hard to know what’s trustworthy.
“That’s where qualified health professionals make all the difference: helping people
navigate the noise and together, make decisions that are safe, effective and right for
them.”
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) President Dr Michael
Wright says patients increasingly seek guidance on information they encounter online.
“For as long as we can remember, patients have come to their GPs seeking advice about information they’ve found or read elsewhere,” he says.
“What has changed is our access to an ever-increasing source of information and
knowing whether that information is correct or relevant.
“More and more patients are coming in genuinely unsure about what’s true, what’s misleading, and what they can trust.
“We know misinformation is much harder to correct once it takes hold.
“That’s why it’s so important that patients, GPs and other health professionals have access to clear, credible, trusted sources we can rely on together.”
It’s said that each year, approximately 250,000 Australians are hospitalised due to medication-related harm, much of which is linked to polypharmacy and inappropriate medicine use.
Through MedsAware 2026, AdPha and ADeN are encouraging Australians to seek trusted advice and ensure decisions about medicines, including deprescribing, are made in partnership with qualified health professionals.
