Abbott & Association of Physicians of India collaborate to improve medication adherence for better NCD management

New Delhi: Abbott, the global healthcare leader, recently hosted the India chapter of the third edition of a:care Congress in collaboration with the Association of Physicians of India (API).

International experts in behavioral science and other medical fields came together to address the health challenge of medication non-adherence, which is when a person doesn’t stick to the prescribed treatment plan.

Abbott’s a:care Congress is one of the largest global educational initiatives on medication adherence, with endorsement from more than 60 national and international medical societies. This year’s theme, ‘Adherence is a behavior. Do we have the right one?’, highlighted key behavioral insights that lead to medicine non-adherence. It also explored the impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence in guiding doctors to help their patients stay on top of their treatment plans.

Today, India’s NCD burden is escalating, with the country alone responsible for more than 75% of NCD-related mortality occurring globally.  While the chronic conditions commonly involve long-term treatment, roughly 50% of patients do not take their medicines as prescribed, and one-third never fill their prescriptions. In India, this problem is particularly challenging with adherence to medications being low across all therapies in the country. According to the World Health Organization, 62% of people with multiple comorbidities were non-adherent. Having a complex dosing routine can further add to this rising problem.

Dr Milind Y. Nadkar, President – API, Prof. Head of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, and Dean – Academic, KEM Hospital, Mumbai, commented “The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that adherence is a powerful behavior that can help lessen the health burden more than any medicine innovation. Improving medication non-adherence for better NCD management is one of the key focus areas for API. This collaboration with Abbott’s a:care Congress will further accelerate our efforts in helping doctors better understand the complexities driving non-adherence so that they have the tools they need to help their patients to change their habits.”

Medicine non-adherence has far-reaching and significant social and economic impacts. In cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, non-adherence increases the risk of hospital visits and recurrent cardiac events leading to delays in recovery. Also, it has a significant economic impact as it adds up to $100 billion in preventable medical costs per year. Further, roughly 8% of the total global health expenditure could be avoided with proper adherence to medicine.

Dr Parag Sheth, Regional Director Medical Affairs, Abbott India said, “It’s important to understand the reasons behind non-adherence to improve it. Forgetfulness or being busy and high pill burden are some of the most common reasons. Through the a:care Congress, more healthcare professionals can understand how to address these problems with insights on what drives people’s behaviors and how to best support people in leading healthier lives.”

He also added, “Equipping doctors with the knowledge and tools to integrate behavioral science into treatment protocols can help them support their patients better. Among other steps, the adoption of tech solutions, such as health apps, wearable technology, or monitoring devices, can help people better follow their doctor’s advice.”