Policy Brief: Over-Medication of the Public and Children — A Public Health Priority

Issue Summary

Prescription medications are a cornerstone of modern health care. However, growing evidence indicates that many Americans—adults and children alike—receive medications that may be unnecessary, prolonged beyond clinical need, or prescribed without adequate consideration of

non-drug alternatives. This pattern, often referred to as over-medication, contributes to avoidable health risks, rising healthcare costs, and increasing public concern about the role of pharmaceuticals in everyday life.

 

Scope of the Problem

The United States has among the highest prescription drug utilization rates in the world.

Over-prescribing has been documented in major drug categories including antibiotics, opioid pain relievers, and multi-drug regimens among older adults. In children and adolescents, prescriptions for psychiatric medications have increased substantially, with wide variation in prescribing practices and increased use of multi-drug regimens.

 

Written Informed Consent: A Needed Safeguard

A critical policy solution to addressing over-medication—particularly in pediatric and psychiatric care—is the implementation of written informed consent procedures for high-risk and long-term medication use. Written informed consent ensures that patients or parents receive clear, documented explanations of medication benefits, risks, alternative treatments, and expected duration of therapy before treatment begins.

• Clear explanation of diagnosis and rationale for
• Discussion of known benefits and expected
• Disclosure of potential side effects and long-term
• Presentation of non-pharmacologic or alternative treatment
• Opportunity for questions and voluntary decision-
• Periodic re-evaluation and renewal of consent for ongoing

Written informed consent promotes transparency, protects patient autonomy, strengthens clinical accountability, and builds public trust in healthcare systems. Several federal healthcare programs already employ written informed consent for certain high-risk medications, demonstrating feasibility and effectiveness as a patient safety measure.

 

Policy Recommendations

• Adopt written informed consent requirements for high-risk and long-term medication use in children and vulnerable populations.
• Strengthen evidence-based prescribing guidelines and clinical decision-support
• Expand access to non-pharmacologic therapies, especially for behavioral and mental health

 

• Implement routine medication review and deprescribing
• Enhance adverse-event monitoring and public reporting

 

Conclusion

Medications save lives and relieve suffering. However, unnecessary or excessive prescribing exposes individuals—especially children—to avoidable risks. Implementing written informed consent alongside evidence-based prescribing safeguards ensures that every prescription reflects medical necessity, transparency, and patient-centered decision-making.