Drugs
Safe Use Initiative
Collaborating to Reduce Preventable Harm from Medications
Today, tens of millions of people in the United States depend on prescription and OTC medications to sustain their health—as many as 3 billion prescriptions are written annually. Too many people, however, suffer unnecessary injuries, and some die as a result of preventable medication errors. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) believes that many of these medication-related risks are manageable if parties committed to the safe use of medications work together.
The mission of the Safe Use Initiative is to create and facilitate public and private collaborations within the healthcare community. The goal of the Safe Use Initiative is to reduce preventable harm by identifying specific, preventable medication risks and developing, implementing and evaluating cross-sector interventions with partners who are committed to safe medication use.
Potential partners in Safe Use include:
- Federal agencies
- Healthcare professionals and professional societies
- Pharmacies, hospitals, and other health care entities
- Patients, caregivers, consumers, and their representative organizations
Through coordinated efforts, we can make significant improvements in the safe use of medications and reduce preventable harm from medication misuse, abuse, and errors.
FDA Video on Medscape.com: Karen Weiss, MD, MPH |
Federal Register Notice
The Federal Register Notice announces the Safe Use Initiative and the opening of a docket for comments regarding the initiative. Comments can be made to the Safe Use Initiative docket #FDA-2009-N-0526 .
Safe Use Initiative
FDA Unveils Safe Use Initiative that Targets Preventable Harm from Medication Use
FDA News Release (November 4, 2009)FDA's Safe Use Initiative: Collaborating to Reduce Preventable Harm from Medications (PDF - 915KB)
Report (November 4, 2009)- Food and Drug Administration’s Safe Use Initiative: Availability of Information
Federal Register Notice (November 5, 2009) Safe Use Initiative Fact Sheet Opportunities for Collaboration Novel Interventions and Collaborations to Improve the Safe Use of Medications--Cooperative Agreements Acetaminophen Toxicity Preventing Surgical Fires
Events
Expert Roundtable on Pain Management in Older Adults
September 30, 2010FDA-Sponsored Stakeholder Meeting on Surgical Fire Prevention
October 22, 2010- Safe Use Initiative: Public Workshop
November 16-17, 2010 (includes transcripts and presentations)
Other Resources
Drug Safety Communications Comunicaciones de la FDA sobre la seguridad de los medicamentos en español Drug Safety Oversight Board Meetings: Public Summaries FDA Drug Safety Podcasts FDA Patient Safety News Video Broadcasts MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program Postmarket Drug Safety Information for Patients and Providers Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts
Contact FDA
Office of the Center Director
WO 51-1341
10903 New Hampshire Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20993