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This is especially apparent when you look at the graph in the paper for what percentage of people are taking medication by age. I'm curious about the drop off at 85+ though.

https://read.dukeupress.edu/view-large/figure/8349863/dem109...

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If you're healthy enough to live past 85 you're more likely to have lifestyle and inherited factors that increase the odds of you being able to need fewer or no medications even into old age. Modern medicine helps counteract poor health but only so much.

I'm a bit skeptical about that, because at some point, the older you get the poorer your health become even if it used to be stellar.

I'm lucky enough to come from a family with very good health expectancy (all 4 great grandmother lived past 90, and all my 4 grandparents are on track to be there as well), but beyond a certain age in their 80 they all started to take meds even though they were still in very good shape.

Probably diabetics or those at high risk of cardiovascular disease dying.

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