The most expensive medications are the ones that are not taken at all or are taken incorrectly. In the article, "Best Medicine Can Be at a Lower Cost," the reporter made some valuable points. Unfortunately, her only consideration was lowering medication expenses by finding the cheapest price. She failed to consider follow- up expenses that may be incurred when consumers do not take their medications properly.

It is essential that patients understand their medications - what they are for, potential side-effects, drug interactions. People may not realize the importance of receiving all their medications from the same pharmacy. This is especially important when one has more than one physician. When one has one pharmacy it has a database of one's medications and is able to check for drug interactions, allergies, and duplicative therapy. If one transfers one's prescription every week because one has a $10 coupon, one may be costing oneself more in the long run since one's pharmacists cannot monitor one's drug therapy. It is estimated that 10 percent of all hospital admissions and up to 140,000 deaths annually in the United States are due to an adverse drug event.

Internet sites may be a cheaper alternative; however, one is losing an invaluable asset - talking with one's pharmacist. The majority of medication errors are caught when the pharmacist is counseling the customer about the medication. Internet sites generally have a telephone number one can call if one has any questions. However, to have a pharmacist one is familiar with and who knows one's medication history may be worth a few extra dollars, especially if it means one takes one's medications more safely and effectively.

From Healthy.net