PatientsLikeMe has expanded its partnership with US pharmacy chain Walgreens to provide daily-updated information on why patients use specific prescriptions drugs and how effective they think they are.

The online network will also provide lists of the top five alternative medications its members have tried for the same condition and links to reports about dosage, duration and adherence for more than 5,000 medicines.

The information will be updated on a daily basis and comes from aggregated reports made by members of PatientsLikeMe.

Michael Evers, PatientsLikeMe's executive VP of marketing, technology and operations, said: “Whether you're just starting a new medication or you're researching alternatives, knowing what others have already experienced is invaluable.

“We're excited that our members are helping more people know their options and what to expect, so that everyone can make more informed choices for their health.”

Walgreens is the first pharmacy to provide this sort of information from PatientsLikeMe and the latest step expands their 2015 collaboration.

That deal saw Walgreens offer patient-reported information on side-effects and their severity on the Walgreens Health Dashboard, a secure and private personalised health information service.

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