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ConsumerMedSafety.org is brought to you by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)—the nation's only nonprofit organization of pharmacists, nurses, and doctors devoted entirely to safe medication practices. Preventing medication errors is no longer just a responsibility for health professionals—consumers like you can also play a vital role.
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ISMP Consumer Newsletter, Safe Medicine
Safe Medicine teaches consumers how to become active partners with their healthcare practitioners and take a leading role in preventing medication errors.
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  Knowledge of look-alike drug names is critical
When naming new medications, pharmaceutical manufacturers and the Food and Drug Administration go to great lengths to avoid names that look or sound like something that’s already on the market. Despite such efforts and all the premarket testing that takes place, problems with look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) drug name confusion may still occur unexpectedly. In fact, 25 percent of submissions to our national Institute for Safe Medication Practices practitioner error reporting program involve drug name confusion. To learn more about this problem and ways to prevent look-alike/sound alike medication errors read ISMP President Michael Cohen’s blog on the Philadelphia Inquirer website. 
   
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  Preventing dangerous sleep medication mix-ups
sleeping pillMany of us have hectic schedules and we sometimes struggle to get a good night’s rest. In fact, it is estimated that 40 million Americans suffer from chronic insomnia (sleeplessness) and an additional 20 million experience episodic insomnia. During these times, we commonly turn to sleep medicines....
   
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  ISMP QuarterWatch (4th Quarter 2009)
In the full year of 2009 reported patient deaths associated with drug therapy increased by 14% compared to 2008, and were up 3-fold since 2000.
   
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  Accidental Mix-Ups Between Adult and Pediatric Products used to immunize patients
Our database of reported medication errors now contains hundreds of cases of accidental mix-ups between adult and pediatric products used to immunize patients against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough). Several reports involve errors that affected numerous patients.
   
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  FDA warns about vitamin D overdose in kids

Vitamin D DropsThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning of the potential risk of overdosing infants with liquid vitamin D. Some liquid vitamin D supplement products on the market come with droppers that could allow parents and caregivers to accidentally give harmful amounts of the vitamin to an infant. These droppers can hold a greater amount of liquid vitamin D than an infant should receive. Parents and caregivers should only use the dropper that comes with the vitamin D supplement purchased.

   
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  MORE ALERTS
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 Before leaving doctor’s office, expect medication information
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 Survey shows recession has weakened patient safety net
 Know where to look for OTC label ingredients
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 Americans Blind to the Obesity Epidemic
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 Double-Dose Plavix Benefits Certain Patients, Study Finds
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 Review Finds No Statin-Cancer Link
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Safe Medicine Articles view recent articles >
Protect yourself, get doc to include reason for drug on Rx  

Sometimes health care consumers express concerns about the possibility of getting the wrong medication when they have a prescription filled at the pharmacy.  Read here to learn a tip that will vastly reduce that possibility.

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Mail Order Pharmacy or Community Pharmacy?  

An article in the Philadelphia Inquirer by business columnist Jeff Gelles explained how health insurers and their contracted pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) make it financially attractive for you to get your prescriptions filled by mail-order pharmacy (usually owned by the insurer or PBM) rather than your local community pharmacy. However, there are a number of controversies you should be aware of from the standpoint of what might be best for you – the health care consumer.


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