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. 2025 Sep;73(9):2657-2677.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.19500. Epub 2025 Jul 23.

Alternative Treatments to Selected Medications in the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria®

American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® Alternatives Panel; Michael A Steinman
Collaborators

Alternative Treatments to Selected Medications in the 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria®

American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® Alternatives Panel et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2025 Sep.

Abstract

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria® serve to identify medications whose potential for harm outweighs their intended benefit in older adults. This highlights the need for guidance not only on what therapies to avoid but also on readily available alternative treatment strategies. AGS thus convened a multidisciplinary, interprofessional panel to develop a list of these alternative treatment strategies for older adults based on guidelines and evidence, updating an earlier effort published in 2015. This report presents these in a manner intended to be easily usable by front-line clinicians facing common clinical scenarios. The list includes pharmacologic alternatives to medications on the AGS Beers Criteria® as well as non-pharmacologic management strategies that are often safer and equally or more effective than the potentially inappropriate medications they are replacing. Clinician, patient, and caregiver resources are also provided to support the implementation of alternative treatment strategies in clinical practice.

Keywords: AGS Beers Criteria®; pharmacotherapy; quality of care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Drs. Akgun, Alessi, Campbell, DuBeau, George, Herr, LaHue, Lee, Maust, Steinman, and Vincenzo declare no conflicts of interest. Dr. Beizer serves as an editor for Wolters Kluwer. Dr. Holmes receives grant funding from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Dr. Lai serves on a Consulting and Advisory Board for Novo Nordisk; is a consultant for Genfit; and a site PI for a clinical trial for Lipocine. Dr. Linnebur is a Committee Member for the CVS Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Colorado Access Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. Dr. Mundt has a research Grant from Harmony Biosciences. Dr. Rich has received consulting fees from Synchrony Medical Communications. Dr. Richter has research grant funding from COSM; receives royalties from DSMB member: Bluewind, Juniper Medical, Veristat; serves as a consultant to ICA, Eli Lilly, Axena, Neomedic, Coloplast, Palette Life Science, Laborie, Moremme; Board of Directors: SOLACE, Worldwide Fistula Fund. Dr. Semla serves as a consultant to United Health Care and an editor for Wolters Kluwer; his spouse holds shares of Abbvie and Abbott stock.

Figures

FIGURE 1 |
FIGURE 1 |
Five principles for applying alternatives recommendations in clinical practice.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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