Prescription Drug Bill Takes First Step to Ensure Patient Safety

Every year more than 100,000 Americans die from adverse drug reactions, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Sloppy handwriting—interpreted incorrectly by a nurse or pharmacist contributes to these deaths.  Further, according to a report released earlier this year by the National Academies of Science's Institute of Medicine (IOM), it is estimated that doctors prescribe approximately 3.2 billion prescriptions each year and more than 1.5 million Americans are injured as a result of prescription errors.

A bill recently introduced by Oklahoma Senator Lerblance, Senate Bill 1064, will take the first step in reducing prescription errors.  Many prescription errors are a result of unclear instructions when called into the pharmacy.

You can also send an email to Senator Lerblance by clicking here and thanking him for introducing this very good legislation and taking the first step towards reducing medication errors.

Preventing Medication Errors: IOM Report Brief  

What You Can Do To Avoid Medication Errors

Your Medicine: Play it Safe (USDHHS)

Wonder what credit card companies have in stock for you in the coming year? It's no gift card. From fee hikes to new technologies that encourage spending, credit-card companies will look to improve their bottom line at your expense.

To view this entire Smart Money report, click here.

For a complete list of credit card selection resources, visit our website here.

Many web services offer free trials, say for the first 30 days. After that, you can either pay or "just cancel." It turns out, according to a PC World test of nearly three dozen sites, that the "just cancel" option was not easy to trigger, and often infuriating.

Read the entire article here.

Legislature Files Over 2,000 Bills

By the close of the House bill-filing process on Jan. 18, lawmakers in the Oklahoma House of Representatives had filed 1,195 bills, 45 joint resolution and 11 concurrent resolutions. The Oklahoma Senate filed 1,091 bills and 30 joint resolutions had been filed.

OKCCPS will continue with its' monitoring of the legislation as it is considered in committee and will continue to inform you of its potential impacts on consumer and patient safety.

An estimated 17,000 people die each year from MRSA. Hospital patients with MRSA are four times as likely to die, will stay far longer in the hospital, and will pay far more. Hospitals can do more to stop this “super bug” by prioritizing infection prevention.

In the last two years: 42 states have considered bills, 16 states have passed hospital infection public reporting laws, and now we need to focus on MRSA.

Last session, two senators, Adelson and Riley filed bills that would have required this safety measure. However, their bills never made it out of committee.

Write your senator today and encourage them to pass this legislation this session. You can find out who your state senator is by visiting our website and clicking here.

With the legislative session beggining in less than a month, it is important to analyze the potential impacts the bills can have on consumer and patient safety. The analysis and information provided is only available through the continued generosity of consumers and patients interested in promoting safety.

The Center also provides a number of resources for consumers to make informed decisions in the marketplace and as patients. The Center for Consumer and Patient Safety is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization. We rely upon the support of people like you.

If you see the value in our research, education and advocacy, please make a contribution today. You can also donate by mail making a check payable to OKCCPS and mailing to 6539 East 31st Street, Suite 11 . Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145.

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