Professor Kristina Johnell: We need research showing the benefits and harms of drug treatment in old age

In January, Kristina Johnell was appointed Professor of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), KI.

“I feel very honored to have become a professor and look forward to the new opportunities this appointment makes possible”, says Kristina Johnell.
Kristina would like to use this professorship to help strengthen and develop the field of geriatric pharmacoepidemiology. She is involved in a wide range of projects related to drug treatment in older people and plans to continue her broad approach to the topic.

About 40 percent of older people who live in the community and 75 percent of older people who live in an institution use five or more drugs concomitantly. At the same time, older people have the highest risk of adverse drug events due to age-related physiological changes in combination with multiple diseases and impairments. Adverse drug events are important causes of hospital admissions among older people, and lead to high costs for the healthcare system. There is a need for research on the benefits and harms of drug treatment in old age to support balanced drug prescription and to enhance patient safety.

Read more about Kristina Johnell.