Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Any New Treatment

Your doctor suggests a new medicine, test, or procedure. The visit is short, and you walk out with a prescription but many questions you did not get to ask. This happens to almost everyone. A short list of questions, ready before the visit, can make a big difference. This guide gives you questions that work for almost any new treatment, and explains why each one matters.

Start with four core questions

Choosing Wisely Canada, a campaign led by clinicians, suggests four questions to ask about any test, treatment, or procedure. [1]

• Do I really need this test, treatment, or procedure?
• What are the downsides?
• Are there simpler, safer options?
• What happens if I do nothing?

These questions help you avoid care that may not help you, and they open a conversation about your options.

Why "what happens if I do nothing?" matters

Some problems get better on their own. Some are slow and can be watched. Others need fast treatment. Knowing what happens without treatment helps you see how much the treatment really adds.

Questions about benefits

• What is this treatment for, and what will it do for me?
• How likely is it to help, in numbers out of 100 people like me?
• How long before I notice a benefit, if at all?
• How will we know if it is working?

A benefit can mean feeling better, living longer, or lowering the risk of a future problem. Ask which one you can expect. For prevention, ask about your own starting risk. A treatment that lowers risk by half does much more for a person at high risk than for a person at low risk.

Questions about harms

• What are the most common side effects?
• What are the rare but serious side effects?
• What should I do if I have a side effect?
• Does it interact with my other medicines, supplements, or alcohol?
• Is it safe if I am pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding?

What your doctor looks at

When your clinician chooses a medicine, they check the official drug label. In Canada, this is the Health Canada product monograph. In the US, it is the FDA label, also called the prescribing information. [3] [4] Both include:

• Approved uses (indications): the conditions the drug is approved to treat.
• Contraindications: situations where the drug should not be used.
• Serious warnings: the most important safety risks. The FDA uses a boxed warning. Health Canada uses a "Serious Warnings and Precautions" box.
• Dose adjustments: for example, lower doses for people with kidney or liver problems.
• Drug interactions.
• Side effects seen in studies and after approval.

Approved uses and warnings can differ between Canada and the US for the same drug. Doctors may also prescribe a drug for a use that is not on the label, called off-label use. This can be appropriate when evidence supports it. Ask whether your use is on the label and what evidence supports it.

Your clinician also looks at:

• Guideline recommendations for your condition.
• Your other health conditions and medicines.
• Your kidney and liver function, age, and weight.
• Your preferences and what you can afford.

Questions about the practical side

• How and when do I take it, and for how long?
• What should I do if I miss a dose?
• How much does it cost, and is it covered by my plan?
• Is there a generic or lower cost option?
• What tests or follow-up visits will I need?

Five questions from ISMP Canada

For medicines, ISMP Canada and partner groups suggest five questions to ask when your medicines change. [2]

• Changes: Have any medicines been added, stopped, or changed, and why?
• Continue: What medicines do I need to keep taking, and why?
• Proper use: How do I take my medicines, and for how long?
• Monitor: How will I know if my medicine is working, and what side effects do I watch for?
• Follow-up: Do I need any tests, and when is my next appointment?

Ask your pharmacist

Pharmacists are experts in medicines. They can check for interactions, explain how to take a medicine, and help with side effects. They can also give you the patient information leaflet. Free trusted sources, such as MedlinePlus, also explain medicines in plain language. [5]

Questions to ask your clinician

• Do I really need this, and what happens if I do nothing?
• How likely is it to help someone like me, in numbers?
• What are the common and serious side effects?
• Are there simpler, safer, or lower cost options?
• Does it interact with anything else I take?
• How will we know if it is working, and when will we check?
• What should make me call you or seek urgent care?

When to get care quickly

After starting any new medicine, call 911 or go to the emergency department if you have:

• Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Trouble breathing or wheezing.
• A severe rash with blisters or peeling skin.
• Chest pain, fainting, or a very fast or irregular heartbeat.

For other side effects, call your clinician or pharmacist. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own without talking to them first.

Bottom line

You have the right to understand any treatment before you start it. Ask whether you really need it, what the downsides are, whether simpler options exist, and what happens if you do nothing. Ask for numbers, check interactions with your pharmacist, and know which side effects need urgent care.

Primary AI can show you the guideline and study sources behind this topic in plain language, so you can bring better questions to your appointment.