Doctors underprescribe medication for older adults as often as they overprescribe, according to a study done by researchers at the San Franscisco VA Medical Center.

The study of 196 outpatients, 65 and older, found that 65% of them were taking a drug that was inappropriate for an older person, ineffective or duplicative of another drug they were taking. 64% had not been prescribed a drug that would have been appropriate for a medical condition they had.

The study found that more than 40% of patients were simultaneously taking at least one inappropriate medication and not taking one or more other medications that would have been helpful to them.

More about the study:
University of California San Francisco Study