Five moments for safer medicine use
Use the WHO medication-safety moments to prepare better questions and keep an accurate medicine list.
Medication safety is a shared process. The World Health Organization's patient tool highlights five points when a patient or caregiver can pause, check information and ask a health professional questions.
1. Before starting a medicine
- Confirm the medicine name, purpose, dose and timing.
- Tell the pharmacist about allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, medical conditions and every medicine or supplement you use.
- Ask what to do if you miss a dose and which warning signs need medical help.
2. While taking a medicine
Follow the label and the instructions from your prescriber or pharmacist. Keep a current medicine list and do not share prescription medicines. If the treatment feels ineffective or causes a suspected side effect, ask for advice instead of changing the dose yourself.
3. When adding another medicine
Check before combining prescription medicines, non-prescription products, vitamins or herbal products. Products with different brand names can contain the same active ingredient.
4. During a medicine review
Bring your complete medicine list and describe what you actually take. Ask whether each item is still needed, whether monitoring is due and how to simplify a complicated schedule safely.
5. Before stopping a medicine
Some medicines should not be stopped suddenly. Confirm how and when to stop with the prescriber or pharmacist, and ask how to dispose of unwanted medicine safely.
