FDA takes steps to control drug dosage errors

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has started a new effort to control that the number of preventable deaths and injuries, caused by the misuse or accidental overdose of medication.

The FDA called on medical professionals and consumers to help find drugs and situations that could be a particular concern. The FDA will hold public hearings to gather information, said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The primary focus of the FDA is to reduce the misuse of medications. There are approximately 50,000 hospitalizations a year that could be prevented if health care professionals, patients and parents used greater care in dispensing and taking drugs. There are several options for how to dispose of medications, but the FDA is attempting to rewrite the idea that drugs should never be put down a drain.

In addition, the FDA will take a closer look at the information provided to patients, such as package inserts, labels and instructions that pharmacists give when dispensing prescriptions.

“This new drug dosage guidance document is an example of steps that can be taken to ensure safer medication use,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock. “Many accidental overdoses result from confusion about exactly how much of a drug to take. Better measuring devices will help patients, parents and other caregivers use the right amount of these medications — the safest and most effective dose — especially for children.”

The new FDA plan will expect the drug companies to play a larger role to minimize risks from specific medicines; and also include voluntary efforts like education campaigns to spread awareness about the mistreatment problems and address them.