In Slovakia, millions of unclaimed medicines remain in pharmacies every year. Last year alone, patients did not take over 3.47 million prescriptions. On the occasion of World Adherence Day on Friday (March 27), the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the Slovak Republic, together with experts, points out that low adherence – i.e. non-compliance with treatment – is one of the biggest silent threats to modern healthcare. In Europe, it may be linked to up to 200,000 unnecessary deaths per year. Experts informed about it at Thursday’s press conference.
“The fact that patients do not pick up millions of prescribed medications every year is a serious signal that access to health care alone is not enough. If the patient does not comply with the treatment, he endangers his health and at the same time increases the pressure on the entire healthcare system. Every uncollected prescription and every arbitrary interruption of treatment means a higher risk of complications and hospitalization. Just as I consider prevention to be key because it protects our health, adherence to the prescribed treatment is no less important,” Minister of Health Kamil Šaško (Voice-SD) stated. He urged patients to trust doctors and follow the prescribed treatment.
Experts warn that every second patient with hypertension, diabetes or chronic venous disease does not follow the treatment. “With cardiovascular diseases, the problem is particularly fundamental, because regular treatment can prevent heart attacks, strokes or heart failure,” Etela Janeková, chief specialist of the Slovak Ministry of Health for general medicine, pointed out.
Doctors also pointed out that non-compliance with treatment is also an economic problem. “One euro invested in the right treatment, for example, picking up a prescription and taking the medicine, saves us 12.5 euros in dealing with later complications. “One invested euro saves 12.5 euros, which may be missing, for example, for the treatment of patients who have rare diseases and need innovative treatment,” the minister explained.
According to experts, one of the most effective solutions to increase adherence is to simplify the treatment. Modern fixed combinations make it possible to treat, for example, hypertension and dyslipidemia with one tablet a day. The head of the cardiology clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of the Comenius University and the National Institute of Heart and Vascular Diseases in Bratislava, Eva Goncalvesová, emphasized that the basis of treatment is long-term teamwork between doctor and patient.
“Undoubtedly, the doctor must know what he is doing, why he is doing it, make the right diagnosis, choose the right treatment and plan further management, but the patient should follow what he was advised, because only the drugs that are used work and the most expensive are the ones that remain on the shelf,” she stated. Experts added that pharmacists and nurses also play an important role in improving adherence.
