WASHINGTON (WOWO) — More than one in five older Americans may be taking combinations of medications that put them at risk for a potentially major drug interaction, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study found that about 22% of U.S. adults a ges 62 to 85 had medication regimens associated with a potentially major drug interaction in 2021 through 2023. Researchers say that represents an improvement from 2015 and 2016, when the figure was about 25.7%. But at the same time, older adults are increasingly taking multiple prescription medications and dietary supplements, creating another layer of concern for medication safety. The research, led by Dima Mazen Qato of the University of Southern California’s Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, examined nationally representative data involving nearly 5,000 community-dwelling adults between the ages of 62 and 85. The findings were published September 24. Researchers found that prescription polypharmacy — defined in the study as taking five or more prescription medications at the same time — increased from 31% in 2015-2016 to 35.7% in 2021-2023. The use of five or more dietary supplements also increased, rising from 12.6% to 16.7% according to WXYZ. That means the overall number of older adults taking multiple medications or supplements increased even as the percentage taking potentially major interacting drug combinations declined. The most commonly involved medication classes in potentially major interactions during the 2021-2023 period included antidepressants, statins and antiplatelet medications, according to the JAMA study. The researchers also found that some types of potentially interacting regimens changed during the study period. Interactions involving opioid pain medications declined, as did those involving benzodiazepines. Potentially interacting regimens involving muscle relaxants increased. The study’s authors said the findings show that medication safety remains an important concern for older adults, particularly as the use of multiple medications continues to grow. “These findings underscore the need for continuing efforts to improve medication safety among older adults,” Qato said in a USC news release. Drug interactions can occur in several ways. One medication can alter how another drug is absorbed or broken down, potentially causing the second drug to remain in the body longer or leave the body more quickly. Other medications can have similar effects, meaning those effects may become stronger when the drugs are taken together. The consequences can sometimes be serious. The JAMA researchers noted that approximately 63,000 serious adverse events attributed to drug-drug interactions were reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration among adults 65 and older between 2015 and 2025. About 10% of those reports were fatal. Those numbers are reports of adverse events and do not establish that every reported death or serious event was caused solely by a drug interaction. For older adults, keeping an accurate and current medication list can be an important part of preventing potentially dangerous combinations. That list should include prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements. Health professionals also recommend that patients tell every doctor and pharmacist about all of the medications and supplements they are taking, particularly when a new medication is prescribed. Questions can include why a new drug is being prescribed, what side effects to watch for, and whether it could interact with anything already being taken. That becomes particularly important for older adults who see multiple doctors. A medication prescribed by one physician may not always be obvious to another provider unless the patient’s medication list is reviewed and updated. The new study also highlights the role dietary supplements can play in medication safety. Although supplements are sometimes viewed as separate from prescription drugs, they can affect the way medications work and can contribute to potentially harmful combinations. Meanwhile, Americans will have another opportunity this month to safely dispose of medications they no longer need. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s next National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time. The DEA says the event provides a safe and convenient way to dispose of unwanted or expired medications while helping prevent prescription drugs from being misused. Collection sites will be available nationwide. People can find participating locations through the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day program or through DEA-authorized collectors that accept unwanted medications throughout the year. The DEA says its April 2026 Take-Back Day resulted in the collection of more than 642,000 pounds of medication nationwide. Since the program began in 2010, the agency says more than 21 million pounds of prescription medications have been collected. The October event is also an opportunity for households to review what medications they have on hand and determine which drugs are no longer needed. For older adults taking several prescriptions, the new JAMA research underscores the importance of doing more than simply counting the medications. Keeping an updated list, including supplements and over-the-counter products, and making sure each health care provider has access to that information can help identify potentially problematic combinations. The researchers said efforts to reduce unnecessary medication use and harmful drug interactions should continue to focus on combinations involving commonly used medications, particularly antidepressants. 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