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Review ArticleDrug TherapyFree Preview

Adherence to Medication

List of authors.
  • Lars Osterberg, M.D.,
  • and Terrence Blaschke, M.D.

The full benefit of many effective medications will be achieved only if patients adhere to prescribed treatment regimens. Unfortunately, applying terms such as “noncompliant” and “nonadherent” to patients who do not consume every pill at the desired time can stigmatize them in their future relationships with health care providers. This article on medication adherence (or compliance) reviews strategies to assess and enhance this important aspect of patient care.

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Funding and Disclosures

Dr. Blaschke reports having received consulting fees from Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Portola Pharmaceuticals, Gilead Sciences, Aerogen, Depomed, Kai Pharmaceuticals, and Pharsight, and reports having shares in Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble.

Author Affiliations

From the General Medicine Division, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto (L.O.); and the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford (T.B.) — both in California.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Osterberg at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304, or at .

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