To tackle this problem we need a systems approach involving multiple strategies
An article in this issue of the Journal by Miller and colleagues1 provides further evidence of the magnitude and seriousness of the problem of adverse drug events (ADEs) in general practice. Their study highlights our ongoing failure to address the problem of ADEs — medication-related incidents that cause patient harm.
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- 1 Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA.
- 2 School of Health Policy and Management, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Correspondence: Libby.Roughead@unisa.edu.au
- 1. Miller GC, Britt HC, Valenti L. Adverse drug events in general practice patients in Australia. Med J Aust 2006; 184: 321-324. <eMJA full text>
- 2. Medicare Australia. Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) item statistics reports. Australian Government, Medicare Australia. Available at: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/statistics/dyn_mbs/forms/mbs_tab4.shtml (accessed Jan 2006).
- 3. Safety and Quality Council. Second national report on patient safety: improving medication safety. Canberra: Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2002. Available at: http://www.safetyandquality.org/med_saf_rept.pdf (accessed Feb 2006).
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- 7. Lexchin J. What information do physicians receive from pharmaceutical representatives? Can Fam Physician 1997; 43: 941-945.
- 8. Mamdani M, Juurlink DN, Kopp A, et al. Gastrointestinal bleeding after the introduction of COX 2 inhibitors: ecological study. BMJ 2004; 328: 1415-1416.
- 9. Health Insurance Commission. Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule Item Statistics. Health Insurance Commission. Available at: http://www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/statistics/dyn_pbs/forms/pbs_tab1.shtml (accessed Mar 2006).
- 10. Safety and Quality Council. The National Medication Safety Breakthrough Collaborative (NMSBC). Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: http://www.safetyandquality.org/index.cfm?page=Action#nmsbci (accessed Jan 2006).
- 11. Bhasale AL, Miller GC, Reid SE, Britt HC. Analysing potential harm in Australian general practice: an incident-monitoring study. Med J Aust 1998; 169: 73-76. <MJA full text>
- 12. Tamblyn RM, McLeod PJ, Abrahamowicz M, Laprise R. Do too many cooks spoil the broth? Multiple physician involvement in medical management of elderly patients and potentially inappropriate drug combinations. CMAJ 1996; 154: 1177-1184.
- 13. Buajordet I, Ebbesen J, Erikssen J, et al. Fatal adverse drug events: the paradox of drug treatment. J Intern Med 2001; 250: 327-341.
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