AGS Releases Guide: Safer Medication Alternatives for Seniors
New Resource Offers Safer Alternatives to Possibly Inappropriate medications for Older Adults
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New York, NY – The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has launched a groundbreaking new resource designed to help clinicians identify and implement safer, evidence-based alternatives to medications that are potentially inappropriate for older adults. This initiative aims to improve prescribing practices and enhance the health outcomes for the growing population of older individuals.
Addressing the challenges of Prescribing for Older Adults
The AGS Beers Criteria® has long served as a vital tool for clinicians, flagging medications that may pose a higher risk of adverse events in older patients. However, the practical application of these criteria often presents a challenge: what should clinicians prescribe instead?
“With the AGS Beers Criteria®, we help clinicians recognize medications that are potentially inappropriate for use in older adults,” said Michael Steinman, MD, AGSF, AGS Beers Criteria® Co-chair and Co-Chair of the panel that developed the AGS Alternatives List.”Now, with the updated Alternatives List, we’re taking the next step-offering evidence-based suggestions for what non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments clinicians might use instead.”
Expert-Driven Growth for Practical Application
The development of the AGS Beers Criteria® Alternatives List involved an interdisciplinary workgroup of experts from diverse clinical syndromes and disease areas. This collaborative approach ensured that the resulting list is both complete and practical for everyday clinical use.
“We really took a step back and asked, ‘Where are clinicians likely to run into challenges with the beers Criteria®-and where would having clear alternatives be most helpful?'” explained Todd P. Semla, MS, PharmD, Co-Chair of the Choice List Panel and AGS Beers Criteria®. “The expert panel focused on the medications that we thoght would be most helpful to provide alternatives for-making sure we hadn’t missed anything critically important and that our selections truly reflected the needs of those caring for older adults.”
The curated list provides common, evidence-based alternatives that are often safer and equally or more effective than the medications they can replace. This resource also includes valuable supplementary materials, such as links to patient guides and additional resources, to support clinicians in integrating these alternative strategies into their practice.
Enhancing Patient Care Through Safer Prescribing
The new Alternatives List is designed with the clinician’s workflow in mind, emphasizing clear organization and practical accessibility.
“This resource is designed with the needs of clinicians in mind – from its clear organization to its practical accessibility,” stated AGS President,Paul Mulhausen,MD,MHS,AGSF. “I know this is going to be a go-to resource for many of us working to provide safer, more personalized care for older adults.”
This initiative underscores the AGS’s unwavering commitment to promoting safer prescribing practices and improving the overall health and well-being of older adults. The comprehensive guide,”Alternative Treatments to Selected Medications in the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria®,” has been published in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) and will soon be integrated into the AGS Beers Criteria® Mobile App,offering convenient access for healthcare professionals on the go.
Source: American Geriatrics Society
Journal Reference: Steinman, M. A. (2025). Alternative Treatments to selected Medications in the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria®. journal of the american Geriatrics Society*. doi.org/10.1111/jgs.19500