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The number of prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and supplementsavailable to consumers has risen dramatically in the last few years. The riskof medication errors and adverse drug reactions has increased as well. In aneffort to help patients better protect themselves, ISMP and iGuard.org havejoined forces to provide consumers with a new, unique online tool that offersalerts, news, and expert opinions on medication safety.
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"ISMP and iGuard.org's partnership will produce a revolutionary medicationsafety tool to help consumers obtain personalized information that candirectly impact their healthcare," says Michael R. Cohen, RPh, MS, ScD,president of ISMP. "Consumers will no longer have to surf the internet andvisit multiple sites to keep current on the specific medications they or theirfamily members are taking -- our new tool will allow them to create a profilethat will automatically deliver customized drug safety alerts, medicationerror prevention information, and breaking news to them electronically."
Founded by drug safety researchers in October 2007, iGuard.org iscommitted to improving medication safety by providing patients with theinformation they need to take more a more active role in their own healthcare. The tool will be an ISMP-customized version of iGuard.org's currentservice, which provides real-time information, including drug interactions andrecalls, to its more than 700,000-plus members. It will be featured on theInstitute's new consumer website to be launched this fall. The tool will beoffered to agencies, businesses, heath care providers, pharmacists andorganizations for use by their members, employees, and subscribers.
"We are very proud to be working with such a prestigious organization likeISMP, which has been providing drug safety recommendations and resources formore than three decades," says Dr. Hugo Stephenson, president of iGuard.org."ISMP's medication error prevention information combined with the druginteraction and alert services offered through iGuard.org provide a newparadigm for educating patients and empowering them to play a more active rolein their own health care decision-making."
About ISMP: The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is a501c(3) nonprofit organization that works closely with healthcarepractitioners and institutions, regulatory agencies, consumers, andprofessional organizations to provide education about medication errors andtheir prevention. ISMP represents more than 30 years of experience in helpinghealthcare practitioners keep patients safe, and continues to lead efforts toimprove the medication use process. More information can be found atwww.ismp.org
iGuard.org: Headquartered in Princeton, N.J., is a free and secure sourceof information for registered users who want to get informed, stay informedand share feedback about their medications. It has received critical supportfrom patient advocacy groups concerned by the large number of patientsaffected by serious, preventable adverse drug interactions. It offers balancedand timely content to help patients manage their healthcare for themselves orloved ones. Registration is free online at www.iGuard.org
SOURCE ISMP
