Medication Trends in the Military: A Comparative Analysis of Prescribing Patterns Among Service Members Seen by a Pharmacist and Implications for Medical Readiness

Medications play a critical role supporting the health of military service members. Little is known about the broad use of medications prescribed to this population. Active duty service members (ADSMs), while often younger and having fewer diagnosed comorbid conditions, face unique health challenges that benefit from pharmacotherapy. Understanding prescribing patterns is instrumental to illuminate potential areas for research and to guide education so that military health care professionals can maintain competency, improve outcomes, and support medical readiness. This study aimed to characterize commonly dispensed medications among ADSMs and to compare these prescriptions with those of the general population.