The US FDA has released drug dosage guidance as part of its Safe Use Initiative, intended to help both patients and caregivers.
The US FDA has released drug dosage guidance as part of its Safe Use Initiative, intended to help both patients and caregivers.
The agency’s report “Dosage Delivery Devices for OTC Liquid Drug Products,” contains guidance on calibrated cups, droppers, syringes and spoons packaged with over-the-counter liquid medications.Accidental overdoses can be caused by dosage delivery devices that are unclear or are inconsistent with the labeled dosing instructions, it has been pointed out.
"This new drug dosage guidance document is an example of steps that can be taken to ensure safer medication use,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“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 FDA also says it intends to collaborate with health care professionals and other stakeholders to identify drugs and drug classes that are linked to preventable harm. A list of specific problems, cross-sector interventions for reducing harm from these problems, and the metrics for success will be developed.
“Too many people suffer unnecessary injuries from avoidable medication misuse, errors and other problems. The FDA is launching the Safe Use Initiative to develop targeted solutions for reducing these injuries,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.
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“Only through coordinated interventions across all sectors of the health care system can we substantially reduce preventable injuries from using medications,” said Ms.Woodcock. "All participants in the health care community have a role to play in reducing the risks and preventing injuries from medication use.”
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The report highlights several risk-reduction projects that may benefit from Safe Use collaborations, including evaluating consumer medication information, communicating about the risk of inadvertent overexposure to acetaminophen, implementing safeguards against surgery fires caused by alcohol-based surgical preps, and avoiding contamination of multiple use medication vials.
Source-Medindia
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