Prescribing for the elderly: ethical considerations

This article reports on a few ethical considerations associated with prescribing for the elderly. A large number of elderly people are on several medications for the treatment of various chronic conditions that develop with age. Most of these treatments involve symptom management and prevention of symptoms likely to occur from untreated diseases. Serious consideration should be given when prescribing for the elderly. These include: allowing the elderly and their families to be involved in their treatment; social support; and cost-benefit considerations. A lack of clear therapeutic guidelines exists for prescribing in this group of people that is confounded by factors such as quality of life and life expectancy.