Cooperation of All Participating Groups

Abstract

The authors do not mention the action plan for drug safety in their report of German activities. In the context of the 1. Deutscher Kongress fur Patientensicherheit bei medikamentoser Therapie 2005 [Germany's 1st congress for patient safety in the context of medication treatment in 2005], the topic of drug safety was picked up by Germany's Federal Ministry of Health; the subsequent action plan 2008/09 for drug safety improvement in Germany initiated a continuous process for the improvement of patient safety in the context of medical drugs, which is carried jointly by politicians and doctors. The aim is close cooperation in analyzing the causes among the groups involved in the medication process; the declared objective is to develop risk minimization strategies. In March 2008, the Drug Commission of the German Medical Association instituted a coordination group consisting of representatives from patients' organizations, pharmacists' associations, doctors, the federal health ministry, and the German Coalition for Patient Safety; the objective is to implement and further develop the action plan. In addition to numerous research projects, an information leaflet for patients (www.ap-amts.de) and other information services have been developed—for example, the information page of Berlin's pharmacovigilance center for embryo toxicology (Pharmakovigilanz und Beratungszentrum fur Embryonaltoxikologie). The continuation of the action plan—decided in the meantime—is for 2010–12. New aspects have been included—for example, the implementation of drug safety in medical quality assurance and the strengthened cooperation between doctors and pharmacists to improve drug safety. The results and further development of the action plan drug safety were presented to the public at the third congress for patient safety in the context of medication treatment in Berlin in 2010 (www.kongress-patientensicherheit.de).