Monash researcher awarded national prize for research into medicine safety for older adults

Dr Amanda Cross.

1 May 2025

Monash University’s Dr Amanda Cross is the winner of the Australian Gerontology Association's (AAG) prestigious 2024-2 Helen Barrie National Prize for her innovative research into medication management for older adults across multiple national and international settings.

Dr Cross, who is an NHMRC Emerging Leader research fellow at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety within the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, has emerged as a leading expert in medicine safety and quality use of medicines in older people, particularly those living with or at risk of cognitive impairment.

The Helen Barrie National Prize, administered by the AAG Student and Early Career Group (SECG), recognises early career researchers for their outstanding contributions to ageing research and practice, and provides a forum through which these contributions can be widely disseminated.

In the case of Dr Cross, the Prize was awarded for a study she led titled "Prevalence of strong anticholinergic use in residents with and without cognitive impairment and frailty: Analysis from 106 nursing homes in 12 Asia-Pacific and European countries."

The research involved looking at the prevalence of strong anticholinergic medication use across 106 nursing homes (residential care homes) from 12 different countries. Strong anticholinergic medications are considered potentially inappropriate for older adults due to high risk of harm such as confusion, falls and mortality. Despite the known risks, the study found that one in six residents are using a strong anticholinergic, including one in six residents who are considered 'most frail' and who are living with cognitive impairment.

Dr Cross and the research team concluded from the study that there is a need for better multidisciplinary models of care, targeted deprescribing interventions, and more effective knowledge translation into practice to ensure safe and appropriate use of medications in residential care.

AAG is Australia’s only independent, impartial membership organisation whose overarching aim is to improve the experience of ageing by connecting gerontological research, policy and practice.

ENDS