CVS Pharmacy offers free medication reviews for inaugural Check Your Meds Day

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — With the inaugural National Check Your Meds Day taking place on Oct. 21, CVS Pharmacy is encouraging its patients to bring their prescriptions medications and supplements to their local location for free medication reviews. The day is being established by Consumer Reports and the Dept. of Health and Human Services.

CVS pharmacists will offer a comprehensive evaluation of the medications they are taking in order to help them better understand their prescription medications, determine whether any of their medications could lead to potentially harmful drug interactions, and help them determine the best time of day to take their prescribed medications to ensure greater efficacy and fewer side effects.

“Medication reviews are an important health care service that our pharmacists provide to patients each and every day," CVS Pharmacy VP pharmacy operations Pete Simmons said. “During these reviews, pharmacists are able to help patients better understand their medications, clear up any confusion that may exist, as well as pinpoint opportunities for cost-savings. It's a great opportunity for patients to take a look at all of their medications and make sure they are taking them correctly.”

Among the factors patients should consider when determining whether or not they need a medication review are the number of prescribers they see, whether they take over-the-counter supplements alongside prescription drugs, if they take multiple medications for one condition or if they take one medication to control the side effects of another. Other factors include cost and whether they have been taking a medication for longer than three months.

CVS Pharmacists bring a unique tool to medication reviews — CVS Pharmacy’s new ScriptPath Prescription Schedule, which is part of its ScriptPath prescription management system. The schedule uses a clinical system that provides a schedule for the most effective time of day to take medications.