IMSN advocacy

Working together to improve medication safety at a global level

  • International Position Statement on Safer Vaccine Packaging and Label Design (December 2015)
    The International Medication Safety Network (IMSN) calls for greater worldwide attention to the problem of unsafe design of vaccine packaging and labelling. The IMSN position statement calls on healthcare professionals, pharmaceutical companies, technology vendors, professional organizations, and regulatory/standard-setting organizations to help improve vaccine safety and efficacy. Read on...
  • IMSN Alert – Risk of confusion between the names trastuzumab-emtansine and trastuzumab (May 2014)
    International Medication Safety Network (IMSN) highly recommends that health care professionals be made aware of this problem and that drug information systems and guidelines employ strategies to differentiate the names and warn against confusion as a proactive risk reduction strategy. Read on...
  • IMSN Position Paper on Making Medicines Naming, Labelling and Packaging Safer (October 2013)
    In many countries the regulation of medicines naming, labelling and packaging is not providing adequate safeguards for patients. The International Medication Safety Network issued recommendations to regulators, pharmaceutical industry and healthcare providers as part of a comprehensive, worldwide solution to the problem of unsafe medicines naming, labeling and packaging. Read on...
  • Dosing confusion between eribulin base and eribulin mesylate (January 2012)
    The expression of strength in the EU product information could be misunderstood by healthcare professionals to be referring to ‘eribulin mesilate’ rather than to eribulin, which could potentially lead to the wrong dose being given to patients. Read on...
  • IMSN Position Statement On Improving The Safety Of International Non-proprietary Names of Medicines (INNs) (November 2011)
    Since there have been medication errors caused by confusion among INNs, it is important to recognize them and to work on improving their safety, as well. Read on...
  • Position Paper on Pharmacovigilance and Medication Errors (October 2009)
    Adverse drug reactions and medication errors are two sides of the same coin: medication safety. Read on...
  • IMSN Comments on EMEA Recommendations on the Expression of Strength in the Name of Centrally Authorised Human Medicinal Products (May 2008)
    Using the concentration as the expression of strength in the name instead of the total content per total volume along with the per mL designation creates a situation prone to medication errors.  Read on...
  • Patient safety in Europe: time for action! (May 2008)
    IMSN response to the European Commission Open Consultation on Patient Safety. Read on...
  • Comment on EU pharmacovigilance legislative proposals (January 2008)
    The time has come to build efficient working relationships between pharmacovigilance centres and medication errors reporting and learning systems. Read on...
  • Unit-dose packaging of pharmaceutical products (October 2007)
    The International Network of Safe Medication Practice Centres welcomes French specifications regarding the unit-dose packaging of pharmaceutical products, as it will contribute to improving patient safety.  Read on...
  • IMSN Comments on EMEA Guideline on the acceptability of names for human medicinal products processed through the centralised procedure (April 2007)
    The International Network of Safe Medication Practice Centres considers that it is important to update medicines regulations to require manufacturers to assess the risks of possible sound- or look-alike confusion between the new proposed proprietary names and existing medicines. Read on...