FDA Targets Wrong Use of Medications

The Food and Drug Administration will start a nationwide campaign today that will urge women to make sure they and their families take medications properly. As many as half of all Americans do not take their medications as directed, FDA Commissioner Jane E. Henney said. Mistakes can cause serious side effects that lead to doctor visits, hospital admissions and prescriptions that could have been avoided. The FDA is targeting women because they often administer drugs to children or elderly family members and also themselves take medications more frequently than men, Henney said. The brochure urges women to read drug labels carefully, keep detailed records, and avoid taking drugs in the dark. It also suggests questions for women to ask their doctors.