EU medication error reporting plan

The European Federation for the Advancement of Healthcare Practitionersis planning to introduce a voluntary medication error reporting program throughout the European Union, and publish the results in a monthly bulletin, called the EFAHP Medication Safety Alert. This will be distributed to subscribers at a cost of 125 euros ($109.31), plus value-added tax by e-mail.

Under the program, says the EFAHP, health care practitioners across Europe will be encouraged to report medication errors. Details of patient names will not be reported and the other information such as the reporter's name, as well as the details of the institutions, will be held in strict confidence. The focus of the program will be on understanding the types of medication errors that occur, and methods to prevent them.

The organization is planing to launch the scheme at a meeting, to be held in London, UK, on June 19, with further events scheduled to take place in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Scandinavia and Switzerland in the fall, although the dates are not yet available.