Misuse of everyday medications by older Americans costs the United States billions of dollars, and thousands of lives, every year, Older people are more vulnerable to adverse drug reactions due to the numbers of medications they take and the biological changes that accompany aging and disease.

When Medicine Hurts Instead of Helps focuses on this susceptibility of older Americans. An estimated 106,000 fatal adverse drug reactions occur ever year and the cost of medication-related problems in all age groups approaches $85 billion annually. Recommendations to alleviate this tragic and preventable problem are outlined.