Beware stewardship in silos

Abstract

With the WHO estimating that global medication errors cost approximately US$42 billion annually, it is perhaps not surprising that we hear a lot about medicines stewardship these days. Although the descriptions and goals of medicines stewardship vary, common themes are that it involves careful and responsible management, it is targeted at drug classes that are associated with a high risk of adverse outcomes and it aims to reduce variations in practice and improve patient outcomes.