What Do We Do With Your Report?

At ISMP, we review incident reports submitted by consumers and healthcare professionals and look for ways to prevent harmful errors. For example, we may approach a manufacturer to suggest that the label of a product be changed, we may suggest safer ways for healthcare professionals to handle medications, or we may remind consumers of things they can do to avoid making mistakes with medications.

ISMP will:

Review your report
Look for system problems that could cause errors to happen
Prepare recommendations that are designed to prevent mistakes with medication
Send recommendations about medication safety to healthcare professionals and consumers
Notify the manufacturer if it is a product issue
Advocate throughout the healthcare system to promote changes to improve medication safety
Provide consumer-focused information and tips about medication safety on the ConsumerMedSafety.org website
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ISMP will not:

Investigate a complaint on your behalf with an organization or healthcare professional that is responsible for an error
Investigate the actions of individual practitioners
Report (for disciplinary purposes) the incident to professional authorities responsible for regulating the practice of healthcare professionals
Release or publish any information that could identify the reporter of an incident, a patient, a healthcare professional, or an organization involved in an incident

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More Safety Articles

Available Resources for Safe Acetaminophen Use

Acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) is well known to consumers as an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever and fever reducer. Acetaminophen is an ingredient also found in many OTC and prescription medicines for both adults and children.

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Measurement Mishaps with Liquid Medicines

Unlike medicines for adults, medicines for babies and young children often come in a liquid form. Thus, parents and caregivers must measure the correct amount of liquid medicine before giving each dose to their child. Many over-the-counter (OTC) liquid medicines come with a plastic dosing cup, oral syringe, or dropper to help measure a dose. A pharmacist may provide a dosing cup or oral syringe with liquid prescription medicines. However, a study published in October 20161 shows that parents often struggle with measuring the exact dose of liquid medicine and make errors frequently.

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Do Your Vitamins Measure Up?

Consumers who use dietary supplements such as vitamins have no way of knowing if the products they select meet certain quality manufacturing standards. They also have no way of knowing if they are dealing with reputable manufacturers. In response, a drug standards organization called the US Pharmacopeia (USP) established The Dietary Supplement Verification Program (DSVP).

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Don’t Confuse a Product Called WartSTICK with Lip Balm!

Many people are familiar with over-the-counter wart treatments. They're typically liquid based or are packaged in an aerosol container with a special application tip. But did you know there is also a wart remover that uses a dry formulation in the form of a stick? Within the last year a company called Balassa Laboratories has repackaged an old formula of a solid stick wart remover (previously packaged under the name PediFix). The newly packaged product, called WartSTICK, is now available at popular chain drugstores such as CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens on-line. Our concern? It looks identical to a container of lip balm. The active ingredient in WartSTICK is salicylic acid, which should NEVER come in contact with the lips or mucous membranes inside your mouth.

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