Pharmaceutical News 2.0

Updated June 12, 2008

Drug safety requires patient involvement. A patient should take certain measures to ensure drug safety. Patients need to fully understand their prescription after discussing it with their doctor and pharmacist. Patients should not be taking medications they have questions about — for example, “Why am I taking this,” or “How do I take it?” Don’t be shy about getting the answers you need and having the conversations you need to have.

10 Ways to Ensure Drug Safety

Review Prescription Medications With Your Doctor
Your medication regimen may seem arduous, but it becomes quite routine. It becomes almost too routine — second nature, habitual, done without thought. It is drilled into patients that being compliant with their treatment plan is important. Taking pills religiously, on time, everyday is expected. At each doctor appointment, have a conversation about your current pill regimen. Certain questions should be asked each time you see your doctor.

10 Things You Should Do When Given a New Prescription
When your doctor hands you a new prescription, it becomes your responsibility to know what the medication is for, how to take it, and what possible side effects might occur. Here are 10 tips for what you should do when given a new prescription that will help ensure your safety and understanding.

Review Prescription Label Directions
Prescription medication labels are confusing to some patients. Have your doctor read the instructions to you. Also ask your pharmacist to read the directions to you when you fill the prescription. Follow these other tips too.

How to Avoid Medication Errors
A few simple, common-sense tasks can help you avoid medication errors and ensure your safety. Here are 15 important tips which ensure drug safety.

How to Safely Dispose of Unused Medications
Proper drug disposal is an emerging environmental issue. As with any household waste, the disposal method chosen can directly effect the safety and health of the environment. Most strive to be responsible. What are your options?

How to Spot Pharmacy Errors
Pharmacy errors may have serious consequences. Many pharmacy errors go unreported because they remain undetected or cause no obvious harm. Potential problems make it imperative for people taking prescription drugs to always check the medication they receive. Though pharmacy errors are unlikely occurrences, they do happen.

Read more about drug safety.

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Article Date: 04 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

Secretary of State for International Development (UK), Douglas Alexander, has launched a powerful new health alliance which could save the lives of 10.5 million people in developing countries each year by 2015.

International institutions, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, governments, civil society and business have joined together to form the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) to improve the health and lives of millions of people. Currently one in three people around the world still don’t have access to the basic medicines they need to fight illness and ten million children die each year for want of cheap and effective drugs.

Up to a third of medicines on the market in developing countries are fakes and a recent study published by the American Enterprise Institute found that a third of malaria drugs sold in six African cities either did not contain high enough levels of active ingredient, or did not dissolve properly.

Douglas Alexander said:

“Too many people die needlessly because they can’t get the medicines they need. There are currently 2 billion people around the world who do not have access to affordable medical services. A lot of medicines are not affordable, they are of poor quality, or they are simply not available.

“The problems of price, quality and availability can be tackled by improving transparency and access to information. MeTA will provide citizens, health care workers and others with information to challenge corruption, excessive pricing and waste. We now have a common approach and by working together millions of lives could be saved.”

In Ghana, the lowest paid government worker - who still earns more than half of their fellow countrymen and women - would have to work for a week simply to afford a course of malaria treatment.

Read the rest of this article on providing access to medicine for developing countries.

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