More Prescriptions, More Problems: Can Information Technology Help?

In this issue of Pediatrics, Qato et al present a detailed analysis of the prevalence of prescription drug use by children in the US based on the NHANES. With their results, they point out not only the substantial number of children who are on a prescription drug at any given time (between 1 in 7 and 1 in 5 depending on age and sex) but also the number who are concurrently on >1 prescription drug and are potentially at risk for drug-drug interactions (DDI). They conclude, reasonably, that preventive efforts to improve the safe use of medications by children should promote public and health professional awareness of the increased risks associated with the concurrent use of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Understanding these risks and benefits will be an important guide for extending this important work by Qato et al so that we know how often potential DDIs lead to clinical consequences and how serious those consequences are