By DoM Communications | Date published: March 5, 2026
Jerry Gurwitz Quoted in Recent Being Patient Publication
In a recent publication published in Being Patient, Jerry Gurwitz, MD, the Dr. John Meyers Professor of Primary Care Medicine, professor of medicine, and a researcher in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and the Division of Health Systems Science, discusses the significance of prescribing potentially inappropriate psychiatric and sedating medications to individuals with dementia and cognitive impairment.
According to a recent study published in JAMA, people with cognitive impairment and dementia were likely to receive inappropriate prescriptions, and in 70 percent of cases, their medical records lacked any clinical justification. Although these prescriptions may be viewed as “easy solutions,” they come with significant risks, including delirium, falls, and hospitalization.
In the article, Dr. Gurwitz explains that many of these patients may have been taking these medications for years, long before cognitive impairment or dementia, which can make the process of deprescribing more complex.
“It takes enormous effort on the part of healthcare providers in time that they either don’t have or don’t want to spend. I think the biggest opportunities here for reducing use is never starting them if possible, and frankly, there is probably a small percentage of people who may need these medications,” explained Dr. Gurwitz.