Don't swallow everything you hear about women's health

Fact: Women are prescribed significantly more medications and take more over-the-counter medications than men. Some medications are life-saving treatments for women and girls with serious or chronic health conditions. But some medications may not be necessary or may be inappropriate, and may cause more harm than good.

Here's what to consider:

Women's health is big business: Women are often the target audience for prescription drug advertisements now common on TV, in magazines, newspapers and on the Internet. Prescription drugs have an important place in the health of Canadian women. But drug ads often overstate health benefits and rarely highlight potential health …