Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction (TAPER)

TAPER has nearly reached its sample size of 360 participants, with the aim of finishing recruitment by the end of summer 2022. The Edmonton site has completed their portion, while staffing challenges have required modifications at the Nanaimo site. In addition, the McMaster site is expanding beyond McMaster Family Practice and Stonechurch Family Health Centre to include the Hamilton Family Health Team. 

A newly established linkage between TAPER and the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) will allow researchers to assess environmental and contextual predictors of polypharmacy. TAPER also launched an updated version of its web-based medication screening tool that provides additional information in a streamlined layout. 

The TAPER protocol was published in Trials (2021). The Model paper is nearing completion, and the main results paper of the pilot trial (TAPER-F) is under review, demonstrating that TAPER is feasible to insert into existing workflows. The research team is currently preparing a manuscript on patient medication goals and priorities, which finds strong correlations with recommended medication changes –  a positive marker that patient priorities are being attended to during the medication review process. For more information, contact Jeffrey Templeton, Research Coordinator, at templetj@mcmaster.ca.