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 MEDIA ADVISORY |
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A national consensus reached on Joint Technical Statement for drug products January 28, 2010 Toronto, Canada - Medication errors are a leading cause of harm in Canada’s healthcare system. The Canadian Institute for Health Information estimates that medication errors affect more than one million patients each year. Of that number, more than 700 patients die every year in Canada as a result of preventable medication mistakes. Ordering and tracking medications using pen and paper is no longer acceptable in 21st century healthcare. The automated identification of drugs using bar codes drastically reduces the opportunity for human error and medication mistakes, ultimately improving patient safety. With over 30,000 commercial drugs in the Canadian market place – there is a significant need for a national, coordinated approach to pharmaceutical bar coding. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada), together with GS1 Canada, will address the achievement of a national consensus on a standard format for labeling medication packaging --- key to improving medication safety for all Canadians.
Members of the Canadian Pharmaceutical Bar Code Project Implementation Committee will also be present. -30- Contact: # # #
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