Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8521

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Roughead EE, Lexchin J.
Adverse drug events: counting is not enough, action is needed.
Med J Aust 2006 Apr 3; 184:(7):315-6
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/184_07_030406/rou10066_fm.html

Abstract:

An article in this issue of the Journal by Miller and colleagues1 provides further evidence of the magnitude and seriousness of the problem of adverse drug events (ADEs) in general practice. Their study highlights our ongoing failure to address the problem of ADEs – medication-related incidents that cause patient harm.

“Consumer Medicine Information needs to be routinely used in medical encounters, so that patients can recognise ADEs and know what to report to their GP . . .”

Each year in Australia, about 17.5 million people make 95 million visits to their general practitioner.2 Based on Miller et al’s estimate – that 10.4% of patients attending general practice experience an ADE – almost 2 million people have an ADE annually. Moreover, their findings show that these ADEs are not trivial, with about 1 million being moderate or severe and 138 000 requiring hospitalisation, a finding consistent with previous estimates.3 Many of these ADEs are preventable, although the exact proportion of preventable events can be debated.

There have now been more than 30 Australian studies estimating the number of ADEs in different settings.3 It is clear that counting is not enough – it is time for action, but what can be done?…

Keywords:
Publication Types: Comment Editorial MeSH Terms: Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems/organization & administration* Australia Drug Therapy/adverse effects* Drug Therapy/statistics & numerical data* Family Practice/organization & administration* Family Practice/statistics & numerical data* Humans Medication Errors/prevention & control Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data Organizational Culture

Notes:

Comment in:
Med J Aust. 2006 Jun 19;184(12):646.

Comment on:
Med J Aust. 2006 Apr 3;184(7):321-4.