Recognizing the significant and growing public health concern of medication errors, Senator Jackie Speier authored Senate Concurrent Resolution 49 (SCR 49), sponsored by the California Pharmacists Association.  Adopted September 14, 2005, SCR 49 called for the creation of an expert panel to study the causes of medication errors in the outpatient setting and to recommend changes to the health care system that would reduce errors associated with prescription and over-the-counter medication use.

The Medication Errors Panel, assembled in 2006, consisted of two Senators, two Assembly members and 13 persons representing academia, consumer advocacy groups, health professions (medicine, nursing, public health and pharmacy), health plans, the pharmaceutical industry, and community pharmacies. Throughout 2006, Panel members gave a tremendous effort to this study and met at the state capitol 12 times to hear and discuss  testimony from 32 invited speakers who included many widely respected state and national leaders in the fields of pharmacy practice, medicine, medical technology, healthcare regulation, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry.

To view the full report of the Panel or the executive summary of the report, please click the links below.


Full Report and Executive Summary