Reported drug reactions triple

Patient Safety Monitor Alert

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September 12, 2007

Dangerous drug reactions have tripled over the past seven years, according to a new study in this week's Archives of Internal Medicine, and reported by the Associated Press.

Researchers found deaths had tripled from 5,519 reported cases in 1998 to 15,107 in 2005. The data was collected by the Food and Drug Administraion (FDA) and analyzed by researchers from the Institute for Safe Medication Practices and Wake Forest School of Medicine.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said the study was evidence that the FDA has to redouble efforts to check medications for safety.