Study finds that severe outpatient drug events are common

We've all heard the statistics on adverse drug events in the hospital setting; however, a new U.S. government study indicates that outpatient drug reactions send over 700,000 Americans to Emergency Rooms every year:

"Accidental overdoses and allergic reactions to prescription drugs were the most frequent cause of serious illnesses, according to the study, the first to reveal the nationwide scope of the problem. People over 65 faced the greatest risks.

'This is an important study because it reinforces the really substantial risks that there are in everyday use of drugs," said patient safety specialist Bruce Lambert, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago's college of pharmacy."