FDA Partners With Group on Campaign To Reduce Medication Errors
FDA officials on Wednesday said that the agency has partnered with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a not-for-profit group, on a campaign to reduce the almost 7,000 deaths caused by medication errors annually, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Tansey, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/15). As part of the campaign, FDA and the institute will purchase advertisements in trade publications and distribute brochures to health care professionals that list commonly confused medication abbreviations. In addition, FDA will promote the elimination of certain medication abbreviations and proper use of zeros in treatment dosages. FDA said that health care professionals should use zeros before but not after decimal points to help prevent confusion about medication dosages. Acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach said, "Some abbreviations, symbols and dose designations are frequently misinterpreted and lead to mistakes that result in patient harm" (Corbett Dooren, Dow Jones, 6/14). He added, "This joint campaign will promote safe practices among those who communicate medical information to help avoid serious, and even potentially fatal, consequences of medical errors" (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/15).
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