Covert medication administration to older people: Systematic literature review, current guidance and clinical implications

J. A.S. Mair*, S. D. Shenkin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Covert medication is the administering of medications to patients without their knowledge or consent and in disguised form - usually by concealing or mixing them into food or drink. A systematic literature review identified eight studies of covert medication, mostly based in nursing homes or psychiatric units, reporting covert medication use in 30-71% of institutions and to 1.5-17% of residents. Guidelines on the use of covert medication are reviewed, and practical guidance is provided for geriatric medicine specialists. Local policies should be clear to ensure: 1) covert medication is not given to patients with capacity; 2) the multidisciplinary team including pharmacist are involved; 3) the patients' capacity is assessed, documented and covert medication use agreed using the principles of appropriate legislation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3-8
Number of pages6
JournalCME Journal Geriatric Medicine
Volume14
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Care homes
  • Covert medication
  • Dementia
  • Incapacity

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