The data: About 2 in 3 people have at some point decided not to fill or refill a prescription medication, according to the M3 MI MARS Consumer Health Study of over 20,000 US adults.

The top reasons why people either don’t stay on their treatment regimen or leave their medication at the pharmacy:

• Concern over the drug’s side effects is most common (48%), particularly among respondents 65 and up (62%).
• That’s followed by the medication’s cost (35%).
• Over one-quarter said they wanted to try an alternative approach, such as taking an OTC medication or making lifestyle changes (27%).
• A similar number (26%) were unsure their Rx was working.

Why it matters: Prescription abandonment typically happens when people don’t have sufficient access to a pharmacy or have trouble affording their medication.

But this survey reveals that people also seek alternatives to prescription drugs, such as lifestyle changes and products with a lower risk of serious side effects.

Yes, but: This might sound like bad news for drugmakers and pharmacies, but many patients are open to using tools and resources that could help them manage new or ongoing prescriptions.

• Over 1 in 3 respondents see the value in dedicated websites with information about the drug, coverage, cost, or the condition being treated, per M3 MI.
• 29% think it would be helpful to have access to a digital assistant that can answer questions about their Rx.
• About 1 in 5 would be interested in a patient support program to help them manage treatment. This could include educational materials on a disease, guidance on dealing with side effects, and medication reminders.