18% taking medicine not prescribed for them
According to a survey by the Health Products Regulatory Authority, this figure rises to almost one in five (18%) of 25-34-year-olds.
The study, which examines consumers’ habits and attitudes towards medicine information, reveals that: n One in four people (23%) do not read the information that comes with their medicine, while a quarter of people (26%) don’t read the directions for use. n A third of people (35%) do not read the information relating to the potential side effects of their medicine, while one in five (20%) take a prescription medicine for a shorter period than that directed by their doctor. n One in four (26%) of adults admit that they never read product information for an over-the-counter medicine, with one in five (21%) never reading information for a prescription only medicine — a rise from 14% and 12% since the same survey was conducted in 2010.
