Sharing prescription medications is common and a public health concern, according to researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Sheffield, whose study investigating the behaviour was published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) today [20 February].
The study reviewed data from 19 primary research studies. Prevalence of the behaviour occurring in a person’s lifetime ranged from 13% to 78% in the studies reviewed. Painkillers were found to be the most commonly shared, followed by antibiotics and allergy medications.