This section focuses on organizations in the pharmaceutical industry and/or medication safety specifically.

* Denotes a web site that is recommended either due to its extensive patient safety information, or specific tools or resources that may be useful.

American Pharmaceutical Association

2215 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037-2985
Phone: (202) 628-4410
Fax: (202) 783-2351
Email: No general email address, but the site provides many addresses, depending on your needs.
Agency site: www.aphanet.org
Patient Safety: www.pharmacyandyou.org (APhA - Pharmacy and You)

Site description: The organization web page has access to "Tips on Patient Safety." Pharmacy and You is an educational web page that provides several fact sheets including practical information on pharmacies, pharmacists, and medication safety.

*American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)

7272 Wisconsin Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 301-657-3000
Email: www@ashp.org
Executive Vice President: Henri Manasse, Jr., Ph.D., Sc.D.
Agency site: www.ashp.com
Patient Safety: http://www.ashp.com/patient-safety/index.cfm?cfid=14804436&CFToken=96239962 (Center on Patient Safety)

Description: This safety web-site is focused entirely on patient safety, with many links, resources and reports. Reports of particular interest include: The Medication-Use System Safety Strategy (MS3): Phase I of the ASHP Medication Safety Officer Project (PDF), General Principles for Purchase and Safe Use of Computerized Prescriber-Order Entry Systems , and information on Error Reporting Programs.

National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)

4915 Saint Elmo Ave., Suite 505
Bethesda, MD 20814-6053
Phone: 301-656-8565
Fax: 301-656-4464
e-mail: ncpie@erols.com
Agency site: www.talkaboutrx.org

Description: This site, geared towards consumers, is focused on improving communication with providers about medication use. Products for sale include brochures, stickers, bags, wallet cards, and videos geared towards medication safety. Additional tips and reports are included.

National Coordinating Center for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)

Chairperson: Jerry Phillips, R.Ph.
Associate Director for Medication Error Prevention
Office of Post Marketing Drug Risk Assessment, FDA
Phone: 301-827-3246
Email: phillipsj@cder.fda.gov
Agency site: www.nccmerp.org

Description: This site, representing a coalition of 20 national organizations, offers general medication error information, as well as a detailed taxonomy of medication error. Recommendations, press releases, and information on how to report a medication error is also included.

This information is provided by way of the National Patient Safety Foundation.