Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41943558›Full record

ArticleThe Medical journal of Australia2026

Deprescribing in Older People: A Clinical Practice Guideline Summary.

Hui Wen Quek, Xisco Reus Perello, Kenneth Lee, Atinuke Abraham, Leon A Adams, Osvaldo P Almeida, Hend Almutairi, Bree Armstrong, Leanne Boase, Juanita Breen and 62 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Medical journal of Australia, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

72 authors.

Hui Wen QuekCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3851-179X
Xisco Reus PerelloCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Kenneth LeeCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Atinuke AbrahamVictorian Aboriginal Health Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Leon A AdamsThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Osvaldo P AlmeidaWestern Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Hend AlmutairiCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1326-6943
Bree ArmstrongPharmaceutical Society of Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Leanne BoaseAustralian College of Nurse Practitioners, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Juanita BreenWicking Dementia Research and Training Centre, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Lauren J BrownThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Gillian E CaugheyRegistry of Senior Australians Research Centre, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Lewis W ChanThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Roger ChenSt Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Edward ChewThe Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Antony ClarkSir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Tracy ComansNational Ageing Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Deirdre CriddleFiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Pēteris DārziņšMonash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Paresh DawdaThe University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Jenny A DoustAustralian Women and Girls' Health Research (AWaGHR), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4024-9308
Sue EdwardsRepatriation General Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Jennifer GowanMonash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1806-1373
Kerryn HartDeakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia.
Deborah HawthorneCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Andrew HerediaAustralian Dental Association Victorian Branch, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Anne-Marie HillThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Jesse JansenCare and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Limburg, the Netherlands.
Lisa Kalisch EllettQuality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Helen KeenThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Erin A KeltyThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-0841-2216
Ngaire M KerseThe University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Estie KrugerInternational Research Collaborative-Oral Health and Equity, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Susan E KurrleThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Howard LanceConsumer/Carer Representative, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Adam LivoriMonash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Rebecca LivoriGrampians Health, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
Dina C LoGiudiceThe Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Arduino A MangoniSouthern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Anthony MarinucciRoyal Australian College of General Practitioners, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Nilufeur McKayEdith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Allison M MckendrickThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Andrew J McLachlanThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Treasure M McGuireThe University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-1417-7037
Stewart MearnsConsultant Pharmacy Services, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Mark MorganRoyal Australian College of General Practitioners, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Saba NabiConsumer/Carer Representative, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.
Vasi NaganathanThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Elaine NewmanThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Christopher A C M NgThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4006-2869
Maz OsborneConsumer/Carer Representative, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Ray ParkinBathurst Cardiology, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
Kevan R PolkinghorneMonash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Constance Dimity PondWicking Dementia Research and Training Centre, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Kathleen PotterRyman Healthcare, Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Debbie RigbyThe University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Debra RowettQueensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Amina SchippConsumer/Carer Representative, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Veronika SedaThe University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Jessica SeetoPharmacy Guild of Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Sepehr ShakibNorthern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Angela ShiuAdvanced Pharmacy Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4130-4807
Andrew C StaffordenAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Irene J TanRoyal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Marc TennantInternational Research Collaborative-Oral Health and Equity, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Leanne TeohThe University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-9138-813X
Stephen TuckerNorthern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
John D G WatsonNorthern Neuroscience, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Donna WellinsAustralian Diabetes Educators Association, Turner, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Tim WhitmoreRoyal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Christopher Etherton-BeerThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Amy T PageCentre for Optimisation of Medicines, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2084-8469

Funding

Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship at The University of Western AustraliaFunds bequeathed to the University of Western AustraliaWestern Australian Future Health Research and Innovation Fund/Western Australian Department of Health WANMA/EL2023-24/5
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionOlder people face higher risks of medicine-related harm due to polypharmacy and the use of potentially inappropriate medicines. Current treatment guidelines rarely specify when to stop medicines, leading to medicines often being continued indefinitely without a clear deprescribing plan. While deprescribing guidelines exist for some medicine classes, limited guidance is a major barrier to deprescribing. These new guidelines address this gap by providing structured recommendations that complement more detailed drug-specific deprescribing guidance, disease-specific therapeutic guidelines and non-pharmacological management resources. These guidelines were developed by a team of 72 experts, including consumer representatives, and were further shaped by feedback from public consultation and independent reviewers. MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS: The guidelines are intended for all healthcare professionals involved in prescribing, dispensing or administering medicines to older people. The guidelines specifically address polypharmacy and medicines commonly dispensed for regular use in people aged ≥ 65 years, as well as other medicines where there is evidence to consider deprescribing in this cohort. The guidelines provide 185 consensus-based recommendations and 70 good practice statements, covering both specific medicine categories and general deprescribing principles. The guidelines are structured into four areas: (1) when to deprescribe; (2) ongoing treatment needs; (3) how to deprescribe; and (4) monitoring requirements. CHANGES IN CARE AS A RESULT OF THE GUIDELINE: This guideline emphasises deprescribing as an integral part of the prescribing continuum. Applying a deprescribing approach encourages prescribers to consider the ongoing need for a medicine each time a prescription is re-issued, to balance benefits and harms as they evolve over time, and to ensure treatment decisions reflect an individual's goals through shared decision-making. The guideline was developed based on currently available evidence for deprescribing and expert multidisciplinary and consumer input. It supports health professionals in reviewing regular medicines, minimising harm and planning ongoing treatment or monitoring. The detailed guideline is available at https://deprescribing.com.

Indexed as

DeprescriptionsInappropriate PrescribingPractice Guidelines as TopicAgedAustraliaHumansPolypharmacydeprescriptionsgeriatricsguidelines as topicpharmaceuticalsprescription drugs

Identifiers

PMID41943558
PMCPMC13054209

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.