PGA-Newsletter Vol 2.No.11,28 March,2012

A new survey from the National Prescribing Service (NPS) has found that 57 per cent of Australians report they have made a mistake with their medicines in the past 12 months.

In a survey of 1205 people, 44 per cent said they had forgotten to take a dose, and one in four had taken a medication without food when they were directed to take it with food.

Other mistakes reported included taking a higher or lower dose than prescribed or accidentally taking the wrong medicine. Released to coincide with the start of Be Medicinewise Week 2012, NPS clinical adviser Dr Danielle Stowasser says the results show how important it is that people pay more attention to their medicines. “It’s likely we will all make a mistake with our medicines at some point,” she said.

“Most of the time these mistakes will cause little harm but sometimes the consequences can be serious, or even deadly. During Be Medicinewise Week 2012 we are urging all Australians to stop, think and learn about their medicines to help avoid mishaps.”

As part of the week’s activities, NPS is launching a variety of resources and new information for consumers, including the ‘Medicinewise Challenge’ – a quick five-question quiz that delves into some
crucial things people need to know about medicines. All participants will go into a random draw with three winners selected to win an iPad.

 

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PGA-Newsletter Vol 2.No.11,28 March,2012