COMMENTARY: How You Stop a Prescription Medicine is as Important as How You Start 

The American Medical Association is promoting deprescribing—the supervised reduction or elimination of medications that may no longer benefit patients or could cause harm—as a critical healthcare practice, particularly for older adults. With nearly 70% of adults aged 40-79 taking at least one prescription medication and over 20% taking five or more, polypharmacy has become a significant concern that increases risks of falls, cognitive decline, and emergency hospitalizations. The author argues that effective healthcare requires not only careful medication management but also a fundamental shift toward prioritizing lifestyle interventions like nutrition, exercise, and stress management over symptom management alone.