Medication safety alerts and notices
Medication safety alerts and notices are issued in response to reported incidents or for medicines with known high risks. Medication safety alerts advise on action to prevent future adverse medicine events or to lessen the risk of such events.
New fact sheets for clinicians and consumers – IV fluid shortages
2024Fact sheet or brochureThis fact sheet provides health service organisations (HSOs) and clinicians with information on conservation strategies and safety considerations related to the IV fluid shortage and disruption to supply in Australia.
2024Fact sheet or brochureThis fact sheet has been developed to provide information about the current IV fluid shortage being experienced in Australia. The factsheet aims to assist consumers, their families and/or carers understand the IV fluid shortage and the impact it has on the health care they receive.
Aims of alerts and notices
The aim of alerts is to:
- Inform healthcare professionals about serious known medication risks and safety considerations
- Outline the action required to minimise risks
- Provide tools to minimise risk.
Responsibility for alerts and notices
Each jurisdiction manages its own medication safety alerts and notices.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is responsible for:
- Product recalls
- Hazard alerts
- Medicine shortages.
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NHSQHS) Medication Safety Standard requires health service organisations to regularly assess the use and misuse of high-risk medicines and implement evidence-based risk reduction strategies to ensure safe and appropriate storage, prescribing, dispensing, and administration.
