Medication Use & Patient Safety

Research overview

Americans are using more prescription drugs than ever. You may worry about side effects, drug interactions, and costs, especially if you use multiple medications. Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) scientists are studying the beneficial and harmful effects of medications in real-world settings such as Kaiser Permanente Washington. And they are working on ways to manage and monitor drug use better.

“We can dramatically improve health care by making sure people get the right medicines at appropriate doses,” said Denise M. Boudreau, RPh, PhD, KPWHRI senior investigator. “The Institute contributes to this effort by participating in national initiatives to monitor medication safety. At the personal level, we’re providing information to doctors and patients for weighing the risks and benefits of various prescription drugs.”

Funders of KPWHRI medication use and patient safety research include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the Group Health Foundation, and other sources. Projects include:

• Developing and evaluating a primary care program for safe use of prescription opioids commonly used for pain, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin;
• Studying the safety of cardiovascular medications, including in older adults;
• Proactive monitoring of medical products through the FDA Sentinel Initiative;
• Exploring how genetics might personalize treatments;
• Studying medication safety during pregnancy;
• Investigating how medications affect risk of cognitive decline and dementia in late life; and
• Monitoring vaccine safety and effectiveness.

“Our work gives patients and providers evidence about the outcomes of medication use—both harmful and beneficial—to help them make informed personal decisions about prescription drug use,” said Associate Investigator Sascha Dublin, MD, PhD.

Affiliate researchers

Susan Heckbert, MD, PhD
University of Washington (UW) Department of Epidemiology; UW Cardiovascular Health Research Unit

David Siscovick, MD, MPH
UW Department of Medicine; UW Department of Epidemiology; UW Cardiovascular Health Research Unit

Leslie Spangler, PhD
Amgen

video

Ensuring safe medications for older adults & pregnant women

(Vimeo, 1:40)