Annual Medication Review: What It Is and Why You Need One

When you take multiple medications, an annual medication review, a yearly check-up of all your prescriptions and supplements with a pharmacist or doctor. Also known as a medication reconciliation, it’s not just paperwork—it’s a safety net. Think of it like a car inspection: you don’t wait until the engine fails to check the oil. Yet, most people don’t review their meds unless something goes wrong. That’s risky. The average person over 65 takes five or more medications. Some of them interact. Some are outdated. Some you stopped taking but your doctor never removed from the list.

That’s where the annual medication review, a yearly check-up of all your prescriptions and supplements with a pharmacist or doctor. Also known as a medication reconciliation, it’s not just paperwork—it’s a safety net. comes in. It’s not about adding more pills—it’s about cutting out the ones you don’t need anymore. Maybe your blood pressure dropped and you no longer need that beta-blocker. Maybe your doctor prescribed a new antidepressant but forgot to take you off the old one. Or maybe you’re taking St. John’s Wort for mood and warfarin for blood thinning—two things that can cause dangerous bleeding when mixed. These aren’t rare mistakes. They happen every day.

And it’s not just about drugs. Supplements matter too. Ginkgo, garlic, turmeric—these aren’t harmless. They can interfere with surgery, blood thinners, even chemotherapy. A good review looks at everything you swallow, not just what’s on your pharmacy label. It checks for duplicates, outdated doses, and conditions you no longer have but are still being treated for. It asks: Is this still helping? Is it costing you more than it’s worth? Could it be causing your dizziness, fatigue, or stomach pain?

Most people don’t realize their pharmacist can do this for free. You don’t need a doctor’s order. Just bring your list—every pill, every capsule, every herbal packet—and ask for a review. Many pharmacies now offer this as a standard service. It takes 20 minutes. It could save your life.

Below, you’ll find real examples of how medication reviews catch hidden dangers—from NTI drugs that need exact dosing to herbal supplements that silently clash with prescriptions. You’ll see how people avoided hospital visits, stopped side effects, and finally got their meds right. This isn’t theory. It’s what happens when someone takes the time to look at the whole picture.