International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine - Volume 23, issue 1

Authors: Gogtay, N.J. | Bavdekar, S.B.

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0519

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 1-3, 2011

Authors: Sychev, D.A. | Semenov, A.V. | Polyakova, I.P.

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0514

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 5-6, 2011

Authors: Henry, David

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0515

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 7-10, 2011

Authors: Yousif, M.A. | Nizar, S. | Elmustafa, M.O. | Mustafa, M.I. | Bella, M.M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This is Sudan's first cross sectional exploratory study aimed to analyze the appropriateness of prescriptions written in different health settings in Wad Medani, Sudan. Two pretested questionnaires were used to collect information about the possible causes of medication errors from randomly selected practicing physicians and pharmacists. The sample consisted of 2000 prescriptions collected in the period of August and September 2009. There were statistically significant differences between legibility of printed and handwritten prescriptions (p < 0.001), of all prescriptions 43.8% was not accompanied by instructions to the patients and 14% contained potential interactions with different degrees of seriousness, ranging from …minor 1.8%, moderate 8.4% and severe 3.9%. According to the standard classifications of prescription writing, only one prescription (0.1%) was considered ideal with no error encountered, 12.2% of prescriptions contained errors being potentially serious to the patients, 17.8% showed errors of major importance, 6.9% had errors of minor importance and 10.5% contained trivial errors. While of the prescriptions 52.6% were free from errors but they were incomplete, something that could lead to serious patients' harm. The study identified a range of weaknesses in the prescribing phase and proposed a set of recommendations encouraging physicians and pharmacists to work together to avoid such errors. Show more

Keywords: Prescribing, errors, Wad-Medani, Sudan

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0520

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 11-16, 2011

Authors: Benabdallah, Ghita | Benkirane, Raja | Khattabi, Asmae | Edwards, I. Ralph | Bencheikh, Rachida Soulaymani

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objectives: This study assesses the ability of Pharmacovigilance Centres (PVCs) to detect medication errors (ME) and to proceed to building Patient Safety (PS) via their information networks and to underline the limits for this challenge. Methods: This was an exploratory study conducted in PVCs members of the World Health Organization International Drug Monitoring network. A questionnaire specifically designed for the needs of the study was sent to a network via a confidential email system. The questionnaire asked for information, progress and improvement made by PVCs in PS and ME. Results: Among the 88 countries, 21 answered. Reporting of Adverse Drug …Reactions (ADRs) by health care professionals (HCP) is mandatory for 42% of PVCs. 100% of countries receive reports from HCP, 66% from patients and 24% from PCCs. ADRs reports are received by all communications means. There is an heterogeneity between countries regarding PVCs and PS activities. Among them, 4 PVCs have the prime activity of PS organization. Conclusion: PVCs are able to detect and analyze ME. There is a need to coordinate efforts between countries to optimize ME detection, and its analysis. Bridges need to be built linking PVCs, PCCs and PS organizations in order to avoid duplication of workload. Show more

Keywords: Involvement, Pharmacovigilance Centres, detecting, medication errors, patient safety

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0513

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 17-29, 2011

Authors: Group for Forensic Pharmacovigilance | Body, David | Edwards, I. Ralph | Hartigan Go, Kenneth | Healy, David | Herxheimer, Andrew | Labadie, Jeremy

Article Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0518

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 31-42, 2011

Article Type: Book Review

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-2011-0516

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 43-49, 2011

Article Type: Research Article

Citation: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 51-61, 2011