Use one pharmacy: It’s better to use one pharmacy so all the drugs you take are on one system and the pharmacist can help to alert you of potentially, harmful interactions
Read package inserts: Many people ignore instructions on drug package inserts or misinterpret them. All OTC medications and prescription drugs have inserts containing information about active ingredients, uses, warnings, and directions. Information about possible drug interactions is also included.
What is being done to improve safety?
Electronic prescribing software is being used that can warn prescribers about interactions between one or more drugs being taken. However, there are difficulties associated with these drug interaction screening systems, one of them being that alerts may be so common they are simply overridden.
It is possible to check for drug interactions with an online interaction checker such as the one provided by Medscape.
The FDA recently launched a new user-friendly search tool designed to make it easier to access information on adverse events associated with drugs. However, this FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) data does not indicate the safety of a drug and patients still need to talk to health care providers regarding their concerns about medication.
