The following are excerpts from the newsletter

March 10, 1999

• Preventing tragedies caused by dislodged syringe caps
• Placing the therapeutic equivalence code on prescription drug labels and labeling could increase medication errors
• Safety Briefs
  • Facts and Comparisons CD-ROM contains error on BREVIBLOC infusion rate
  • Vial size of diluent can lead to medication errors due to incorrect reconstitution/dilution of drug.
  • Automatic stop orders may cause problems.
  • Lab mix-up on patient with similar names causes inappropriate treatment.
  • Poison Prevention Week --- March 21-27
  • Severe anal pruritis reported as adverse effect of gemcitabine therapy.
  • REZULIN to again be reviewed by FDA for safety and efficacy data.

March 24, 1999

• Canadian jury wants safer drug-use systems
• Hazard Warning! Baxter small volume critical care drug packaging
• Safety Briefs
  • Fomepizole (ANTIZOL) should only be referred to by these names to avoid confusion.
  • Interpertation of hs needs clear definition for your institution.
  • Teach patients with poor eyesight tactile clues to help them avert medication errors.
  • Make sure of updates to patient allergies.
  • Recent report associates fexofenadine (ALLEGRA) with EKG abnormalities.
  • LACTACARE, a nutritional supplement , confusion with LACTICARE Lotion, a lactic acid-based emollient for external use.

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