Safety vs. Safe Use: Why Not Both?

With all the focus on drug safety, what’s gotten lost in the shuffle is the issue of safe use.

According to an April 2007 Harris Poll, more than one-third of Americans surveyed decided not to take a prescribed medicine because of safety concerns about risks and more than a quarter chose not to fill a prescription at all over safety concern.

And, according to Gretchen S. Dieck, Ph.D., senior vice president, Safety and Risk Management for Pfizer, “… surveys of practicing physicians, health policy experts and the general public have revealed a lack of understanding of the fundamental safety science, processes and terminology.  This can contribute to misinformed decisions by patients about treatment options, which can lead to sub-optimal health outcomes.”

To that end, Pfizer Inc announced today the launch of a new interactive online educational resource,

http://www.pfizer.com/responsibility/medicine_safety/medicine_safety_education.jsp

It’s worth a look – and it’s a good conversation starter on the important issue of sharing responsibility when it comes to both the safety and safe use of medicines.