Drug Alerts

Every time you read an alert that impacts you, you take the first step in empowering yourself to prevent medication errors or other issues. But don't stop there: Take the next step by sharing this information with your healthcare professional, friends, and family. You can also tell us if something similar has happened to you by submitting a report.

The information you'll find in our Alerts section comes from the experts at The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)—in partnership with I-Guard—or through other highly respected, non-biased, safety-minded organizations. Sources include the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), drug manufacturers, the American Pharmaceutical Association, and the National Library of Medicine, to name a few. And if it doesn't come from ISMP, we'll always let you know.

	Before leaving doctor’s office, expect medication information
	It was double trouble for a patient when she and her doctor both made errors and it led to a 4-fold overdose of an antidepressant medication, CELEXA (citalopram Hydrobromide). The patient was starting this medication for the first time and after three days she began to experience severe anxiety, agitation, nausea, and severe fatigue. She called her doctor about her symptoms. The error was identified when they reviewed the medication together and realized what was causing the problem – a medication error.