Adverse Drug Events Shockingly Common in the US

A new report from the Institute of Medicine suggests that the US sees at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events (ADEs) per year, though the authors warn that the actual number may be far higher. The report also estimated the cost of preventable ADEs in hospitals at $3.5 billion/year. The authors had a number of suggestions for limiting ADEs, including patients keeping better track of their medications and medical history, the utilization of information technologies such as e-prescribing, and improved labeling and packaging for drugs. http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/35/943/medication%20errors%20new.pdf