July 2026
Medication adherence means taking medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor — the right dose, at the right time, the right number of times per day, and following any special directions (like taking with or without food). When you don’t follow your doctor’s orders, your medicine may not work as well, your symptoms may worsen, and the medication’s side effects may increase.
Here are eight tips to help ensure you take your medicine correctly.
1. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about side effects
One common reason people skip doses is unpleasant side effects. If side effects are bothering you, don’t stop your medication. Instead, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to adjust your dose or timing, recommend ways to reduce side effects, or switch you to a different medication.
2. Make sure you understand how long to take the medication
If your healthcare provider prescribes a new medication, be sure to ask:
- Is it necessary to empty the bottle, or can I stop taking this medication once I feel better?
- Will I need to get a refill, or can I stop treatment when the bottle is empty?
3. If you can’t afford a prescription, tell your doctor or pharmacist
Cost is a major barrier to medication adherence. If your doctor prescribed a name-brand product, your doctor may be able to write the prescription for a generic medication instead. Generic drugs use the same active ingredients, work the same way in the body, and have the same risks and benefits as their brand-name counterparts, but they cost far less.
A 2023 report from the Association for Accessible Medicine found that 92% of generic drugs had a copay of less than $20, and the average copay for a generic drug was almost 90% lower than the copay for a brand-name drug.
If no generic is available, your doctor may be able to prescribe a similar medication that is available as a generic.
Still can’t find something you can afford? Talk to your local pharmacist. They can see if you’re eligible for a drug assistance program in your state— or if you qualify for assistance from the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the drug you need.
4. Set daily routines to take medication
Having trouble remembering to take your medication? Try to connect taking the medication with daily activities such as eating meals or going to bed. You can also keep backup supplies of your medication at your workplace.
5. Keep medications where you’ll notice them (safely)
For medications taken with food, store them near where you eat, such as the dinner table or another eating area (keeping them away from children/pets). If you need to take medications in the morning, keep them in your bathroom, next to your toothbrush, deodorant, or another item you use in your morning routine. Always follow label directions for temperature, light, and moisture.
6. Use a pill organizer or ask about prescription bundling
If you take multiple medications or need to take medication at more than one time of day, it helps to have a system to track your pills so you don’t accidentally take too many or too few.
- Pill organizers: Find daily pill organizers (with compartments labeled for each day of the week) at your local pharmacy and fill them yourself. If you take medication more than once per day, you can use different containers for different times of day. Ensure that each container is labeled with the time you need to take it.
- Medication bundling: Some pharmacies can sort medications into clearly labeled packets by date and time. This saves you the time and confusion of filling your own daily dosing containers. Medication bundling can be especially helpful if you have several prescriptions or take multiple doses per day.
7. Keep a written or digital medication schedule
A medication list can help you stay consistent and communicate clearly with your care team. This can cover the medications you take, how often you take them, and any special directions. You can create the list yourself using a notebook, app, or template. Some pharmacies may be willing to review your list for accuracy.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) offers a printable PDF form you can use to list all of your medications. You can also type directly into the FDA’s PDF if you prefer an online version.
8. Lean on technology for reminders
Technology can improve medication adherence by helping you remember doses and refills. Consider:
- Setting phone or smartwatch reminders
- Calendar alerts
- Smart pill dispensers
- Use a voice-activated device to remind you when it’s time to take your pills.
- Download a special app, such as the My GNP mobile app (available for free on iOS and Android devices), to help you track your meds, including when you should take them and when it’s time to refill your prescription.
Whichever method you use, make sure you have a way to note that you’ve taken your medicine, and cross it out so you don’t second-guess yourself later. This could be an online checklist or a printed sheet (stored with your pills) where you mark a dose as taken right after you take it.
