Why people miss their medicines, and how to take them the way your doctor prescribed

You are standing in the kitchen with the packet in your hand and you can't remember: have you already taken today's tablet or not? It was a morning like any other, everything as usual, and that is exactly why nothing stuck in your memory.

This happens to many people. This article is not here to make anyone feel guilty. It is about why it happens and how to take your medicines exactly the way your doctor prescribed them. Let's say the main thing right away: treatment is decided by your doctor, not by an article or an app. All the tips below only help you follow your doctor's plan.

How often do people not take medicines as prescribed?

Often. A 2003 WHO statement says that adherence among people with chronic diseases in developed countries averages only 50%. A Cochrane review also notes that people typically take only about half of their prescribed doses.

But that round number deserves some caution. German researchers pointed out that the WHO's 50% is too general an estimate: results vary widely depending on the illness, the treatment and how adherence is measured. So the honest way to put it is this: the problem is big, but there is no exact figure that fits everyone.

Why does it matter to take medicines exactly as prescribed?

Your doctor plans your treatment on the assumption that you take your medicines according to the plan. According to the WHO, poor adherence is the main reason medicines don't deliver their full benefit. It can worsen the course of an illness and quality of life. There is another consequence people rarely think about: if your doctor doesn't know about missed doses, it can look as if the medicine isn't working. For example, a 2023 review of resistant high blood pressure notes that there may be fewer such cases once missed medicines are taken into account, and advises ruling out such causes before adding new drugs. That is why your doctor needs to know the truth.

Why do people miss their medicines?

It is certainly not laziness. The WHO says plainly that patients are too often blamed, although a lot also depends on doctors and health systems. A 2019 overview of 21 systematic reviews shows that there really are many different reasons. Depression makes it harder to stay on treatment. Adherence may be lowest in very young and very old people. Support from people close to you, on the other hand, seems to help.

In everyday life it looks like this:

• the usual routine changed: a trip, a day off, a hospital stay;
• the dose fell at a busy moment and was then forgotten;
• you can't remember whether you have already taken it;
• you feel better, and it seems the medicine is no longer needed;
• side effects are worrying, and there's never time to talk about them;
• the medicine ran out or costs too much;
• there are so many prescriptions that it's easy to get them mixed up.

This list matters because each reason needs a different answer. An alarm won't help someone who is afraid of side effects.

What really helps you remember your medicines?

Reminders. A 2016 meta-analysis brought together 16 studies with 2,742 participants. Text messages to a phone roughly doubled the odds of staying on treatment. The authors urge caution: the studies were short, and the data mostly came from what participants themselves reported.

But there is no miracle cure. A Cochrane review of 182 studies reached a sober conclusion: current ways of improving medicine-taking are mostly complex and not very effective, and even the best don't bring large improvements. So no app or pill box can promise that the problem will go away.

Here is what you can try. These are simple everyday habits, and not all of them have been tested in separate studies:

• Tie the dose to something you already do, unless your doctor told you to take it differently: breakfast, brushing your teeth.
• Mark the dose straight away. A mark answers the question "did I take it or not?".
• Try a pill organizer. MedlinePlus suggests one if you find it hard to keep medicines in order. Ask a pharmacist whether your particular medicines can be stored that way.
• Keep an up-to-date list of all your medicines, including vitamins and supplements, at home and with you, as MedlinePlus advises.
• Check your supply in advance, so you don't run out at the weekend.
• Ask for help. Someone close to you can remind you or check.

What should you do if you forget to take your medicine?

There is no single rule for all medicines, so don't guess.

1. Check the leaflet. According to the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service, it usually has advice on missed doses, in the section on how to take the medicine.
2. If you're not sure, ask a pharmacist or doctor. Say what the medicine is, when you last took it and when the next dose is due.
3. Write the missed dose down, so you can mention it at your appointment.

Can you take a double dose if you forgot?

No, unless your doctor told you to. The NHS is direct about this: never take a double dose to make up for a forgotten one, unless advised by a prescriber.

Which medicines need special care if you miss a dose?

The NHS singles out medicines that need specific advice: insulin, warfarin, medicines for epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, oral contraceptives, once-weekly methotrexate, and immunosuppressant and cancer medicines. If you take any of these, ask your doctor in advance what to do if you miss a dose. It is better to know the answer before you need it.

What if you took an extra tablet by mistake?

Don't wait until you feel unwell, even if you feel fine now, and don't guess what to do next. Get medical advice straight away: from a doctor, a pharmacist or an emergency service. Some medicines can do harm before any clear signs appear. For example, the NHS advises getting help if you've taken more paracetamol than the packet says, because it can sometimes damage the liver. Keep the packet at hand and say what you took, how much and when. If you can't reach anyone, or you feel unwell, call an ambulance or your local emergency number.

Can you stop taking a medicine when you feel better?

Not on your own. MedlinePlus advises not to skip doses or stop taking a medicine unless your provider tells you to. The same goes for changing the dose, whether you feel well or think the medicine "isn't working". Feeling better may be the very result of the treatment.

If side effects worry you or the prescriptions get confusing, don't quietly stop. Talk to your doctor, who may have options you don't know about. That is the whole point of "only as your doctor prescribed": you make any change together.

How can you keep track of your parents' medicines?

When there are many medicines and memory lets people down, those close to them usually help. A few simple steps:

• gather all the medicines and write them on one list;
• show the list to a doctor or pharmacist and ask whether all of them are still needed, as MedlinePlus advises;
• agree who checks that the medicines were taken, and when;
• bring the list to every appointment;
• don't change anything in the plan yourself, even with the best of intentions.

And talk to your parents as equals. Checking up without explaining why can easily feel like distrust.

What should you tell your doctor about missed doses?

The truth. Your doctor needs to know how things really went, because their decisions depend on it. Say briefly:

• which doses you missed and how often;
• why you think that happened;
• what worries you: side effects, cost, a complicated plan;
• what other medicines, vitamins or supplements you take.

Notes help a lot here, because appointments are short. More on this: how not to forget your medicines, and what to write down for your doctor.

Where Healday comes in

Healday is ours, so we will say that plainly. It is an iPhone app where you enter the plan your doctor gave you. It reminds you at the right times, lets you mark a dose with one tap on "Taken", keeps a diary of how you feel and prepares a summary for your next visit. Your data stays on your iPhone, with no account.

As the research above shows, a reminder may help someone who forgets, but it won't solve every reason. Healday does not suggest doses, make diagnoses or change treatment. It only records your doctor's plan and reminds you of it.

Sources

1. WHO. Failure to take prescribed medicine for chronic diseases is a massive, world-wide problem, 2003.
2. Nieuwlaat R. et al. Interventions for enhancing medication adherence. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014.
3. Mathes T. et al. 50% adherence of patients suffering chronic conditions — where is the evidence? German Medical Science, 2012.
4. Thakkar J. et al. Mobile telephone text messaging for medication adherence in chronic disease: a meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2016.
5. Gast A., Mathes T. Medication adherence influencing factors: an (updated) overview of systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 2019.
6. NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service. What should people do if they miss a dose of their medicine, 2025.
7. Chan R. J. et al. Revisiting resistant hypertension: a comprehensive review. Internal Medicine Journal, 2023.
8. NHS. How and when to take paracetamol for adults.
9. MedlinePlus. Taking multiple medicines safely, 2024.

This article explains research and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Always follow your doctor's prescription. Reviewed on 3 November 2026.