More than 1.9 million Australians regularly use five or more medicines
07 Oct 2026
The first AIHW report of its kind used Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) data to examine medicine use across Australia. It found that around 1.9 million people experienced polypharmacy during 2025.
Polypharmacy is most common among older Australians. About 20% of people aged 65–74 were regularly dispensed five or more medicines, rising to around 40% among those aged 75 and over.
Among children aged 0–14, polypharmacy was much less common, affecting about 0.03% of the population.
The report also found that around one in nine people experiencing polypharmacy were regularly dispensed 10 or more medicines.
The AIHW said the number of Australians using multiple medicines is likely to rise as the population ages. It warned that increasing medicine use has implications for medicine safety, appropriate prescribing and healthcare use.
The report highlights regular medication reviews, deprescribing when appropriate and monitoring for medicine-related risks as important ways to reduce avoidable harm.
Dr Xisco Reus, a GP with an interest in aged care and a member of the steering committee for an RACGP-endorsed deprescribing guideline, said the findings reflect an important issue in Australian healthcare.
He said having reliable data will help health professionals track the problem and assess whether efforts to reduce medication-related risks are making a difference.
Polypharmacy rates were similar for men and women. The AIHW said this suggests that age and the increasing number of chronic conditions are more important drivers of polypharmacy than sex.
The types of medicines used also varied between age groups. Among younger people experiencing polypharmacy, antidepressants, antipsychotics and psychostimulants were more common.
In older Australians, medicines used to manage conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidaemia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were more prominent. Antidepressants remained common across most age groups.
Dr Reus said regular medication reviews can help identify medicines that may no longer be needed and reduce the risks linked with taking multiple medicines.
He recommended reviewing medicines at least once a year, particularly when patients move between different areas of care, such as hospital and residential aged care.
He also cautioned against assuming that a medicine is still necessary simply because a patient has been taking it for many years.
Dr Reus is also working to raise awareness of the benefits of home medication reviews carried out by pharmacists.
The AIHW noted that private prescription medicines were not included in its analysis. As a result, the figures may underestimate the true extent of polypharmacy in Australia.
More than 1.9 million Australians regularly use five or more medicines
Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Polypharmacy in Australia in 2025.