What Is a Pharmacy Brown Bag Event?
Key takeaways:
Pharmacy brown bag events give you the chance to talk to a pharmacist about all the medications you take.
Talking with a pharmacist about your medications can help you avoid medication-related problems, which cause over 1 million emergency room visits each year in the U.S.
Bring all your medications and a list of any questions you have with you to the event.
If you take multiple medications, you might have a hard time keeping track of why you take each one and how to take it. If you think there’s a chance you are taking your medication incorrectly, this can be dangerous. Adverse drug events — harm caused by medications — cause over 1 million emergency room visits in the U.S. each year. And of these visits, about 350,000 people need to be hospitalized for additional treatment.
The good news is that many adverse drug events are preventable. Attending a pharmacy brown bag event is one way to learn more about your medications and to help avoid potential medication-related issues. “Brown bag” events are a time when people can gather all their medications in a bag, and bring them somewhere for a pharmacist to review.
Below, we’ll talk about what happens at a pharmacy brown bag event, why it might be beneficial for you to go to one, and how to prepare for a conversation with your pharmacist.
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What happens at a pharmacy brown bag event?
A brown bag event is when you bring all of your medications to a pharmacist who is ready to review and discuss each medication. A pharmacist will look at your medications and talk to you about why you're taking each one, how to take them, and any potential side effects to watch out for.
At a brown bag event, your pharmacist will be looking at your medications and checking for the following red flags:
Do any of your medications interact with each other?
Are any side effects of your medications avoidable?
Is the dose of any medication too high?
Does each medication have a purpose (e.g., is each medication treating a health condition)?
Is your medication list complicated? Is it causing you to have trouble taking your medications correctly (noncompliance)?
If a pharmacist finds any issues that relate to these red flags, they will work with you to help make changes as needed.
What is medication reconciliation?
Medication reconciliation is the process of working with a healthcare professional to make an accurate list of all the medications you take. At a brown bag event, you’ll likely be working with a pharmacist. A written medication list would include information on each medication, such as:
The name of the medication
How often you take it
The dosage you take
How you take it (e.g., by mouth)
Why is medication reconciliation so important? Miscommunicating medical information at different points in the healthcare experience (for example, when someone leaves the hospital) can lead to medication errors and adverse drug events. It’s estimated that up to 50% of medication errors and up to 20% of adverse drug events in the hospital are due to miscommunication.
By having an accurate list of your medications available at all times, you can lower the chance that there will be any confusion about which medications you take and how you take them.
Why should I go to a brown bag event?
A brown bag event gives you the chance to ask any and all questions about your medications and how to take them. By talking with your pharmacist, you can find out if you are taking your medications the correct way. A study of over 200 people who reviewed their medications with a pharmacist found that a medication issue was identified in 87% of people. This shows us that misunderstandings around medication use are common.
Taking your medications correctly is important. Incorrect medication use can lead to unmanaged health conditions. For example, if you take a medication for diabetes incorrectly, your blood sugar levels may not be well controlled. This can lead to health issues and even hospitalization.
And, if you experience any side effects from your medications, your pharmacist can help you figure out a way to help manage them. This could be taking the medication in a different way or switching to another medication.
Who benefits the most from brown bag events?
Ultimately, anyone can benefit from a brown bag event, especially if you have questions about your medications. But older adults and anyone taking multiple medications (polypharmacy) may benefit the most from a brown bag event.
This is because an adverse drug reaction — a negative response to a medication used at a normal dose — is more likely with older age. Twice as many people ages 65 and older are hospitalized because of adverse drug reactions compared to younger people.
Taking multiple medications is more likely to lead to medication-related problems too. Studies have shown that the more medications you are on, the more likely it is that a drug-drug interaction — a reaction between two or more medications — will occur.
How should I prepare for a brown bag event?
You can prepare for a brown bag event by coming prepared with questions. Your pharmacist will ask you questions too, so it helps to anticipate what these might be. Some questions to ask yourself include:
Do I know what medications I should be taking and how to take them?
Do I have any issues that prevent me from taking my medications regularly?
Do I miss doses of my medications? How many times a week does this occur?
Do I manage my own medications or does someone help me?
Do any of my medications cause side effects?
Do I have any allergies the pharmacist should know about?
What should I bring?
Bring all your medications — including vitamins, supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) medication — to a brown bag event. If you have a list of the medications you take, bring that as well. It also may help to bring a written list of any questions you want to ask the pharmacist.
How do I find a pharmacy brown bag event and will it cost me?
Brown bag events are often hosted by local hospital or pharmacy schools, and are typically free. These events are just one way pharmacists can help improve the quality of healthcare in their communities.
If you have a hospital or pharmacy school in your area, check their website or call their information line to see if a brown bag event is scheduled. You can also ask your pharmacist at your local pharmacy to review your medications with you. They can ask the same questions that you’d be asked at a brown bag event.
The bottom line
Pharmacy brown bag events allow you to speak directly with a pharmacist and make sure you’re taking all your medications correctly. They are free community events that are usually hosted by hospitals or pharmacy schools. Bring all your OTC and prescription medications (including supplements and herbal medications) with you to the event. The goal is to leave knowing exactly how to take your medications — so make sure to ask the pharmacist any questions you might have.
Why trust our experts?
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Health literacy universal precautions toolkit.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Adverse drug events in adults.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2014). Eligible professional meaningful use menu set measures measure 6 of 9.
Choye, P. (n.d.). Medication reconciliation. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
Lavan, A.H., et al. (2016). Predicting risk of adverse drug reactions in older adults. Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (n.d.). Medication reconciliation review.
Management Sciences for Health and World Health Organization. (2007). Drug and Therapeutics Committee Training Course.
Nathan, A., et al. (1999). ‘Brown bag’ medication reviews as a means of optimizing patients' use of medication and of identifying potential clinical problems. Family Practice.
Ohio Patient Safety Institute. (n.d.). Planning a brown bag event.
Patient Safety Network. (2019). Medication errors and adverse drug events.
Shah, B.M., et al. (2012). Polypharmacy, adverse drug reactions and geriatric syndromes. Clinical Geriatric Medicine.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (2013). Drug interactions: What you should know.
Verdu, F., et al. (2004). Non-compliance: a side effect of drug information leaflets. Journal of Medical Ethics.
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