EDITORIAL VIEW – Medication errors: A matter of serious concern

Abstract

The incidence of medications errors is increasing and the exact incidence is likely greatly underestimated and under-reported.  Although the majority of these errors occur due to lack of knowledge of or failure to follow accepted protocols, look alike medication containers are the primary cause in many cases of drug error related morbidity or even mortality. With the number of drugs and the number of pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the same drug on an increase, the incidence is likely to increase. It is a universal problem that can be found in any operating room throughout the world, as demonstrated by the multi-national representation of many reports on this subject in the literature. This editorial supplements a case report, the ‘Clinipics^®’ page and a special article on the topic of hazards of look-alike drug containers published in this issue of Anaesthsia, Pain & Intensive Care.  The authors also attempt to present strategies to reduce these medication errors. The development of a non-blame environment where errors are openly reported and discussed and regulations for labeling the drug containers, vials and ampoules is stressed.