European Medicines' Agency: latest news on medication errors

• New webpage - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has launched a new webpage on medication errors. The page has information for patients and healthcare professionals related to prevention of errors in specific medicines, including insulins and some other products. Check the webpage here: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/special_topics/general/general_content_000570.jsp

• In addition the EMA has published a Good Practice Guide on medication errors to improve their reporting, evaluation and prevention by regulatory authorities and the industry: http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Regulatory_and_procedural_guideline/2015/11/WC500196979.pdf

• Did you know? Under the EU pharmacovigilance legislation patients can report not only side effects but also medication errors they experience. Patients’ reporting helps improve medicines safety, for example through specific risk minimisation measures. An EMA factsheet on patients’ reporting is available here: http://www.adrreports.eu/docs/ADR_reporting_FINAL_EN.pdf