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Right Drug Dose Now Act
12/30/2022, 4:33 AM
Summary of Bill HR 6875
The bill mandates that healthcare providers use electronic prescribing systems that have built-in safeguards to prevent errors in dosage calculations. These systems would be required to alert providers if a prescribed dosage is outside of the recommended range for a particular patient based on factors such as age, weight, and medical history.
Additionally, the Right Drug Dose Now Act would establish a grant program to help healthcare facilities implement these electronic prescribing systems and provide training for healthcare providers on how to use them effectively. The bill also includes provisions for monitoring and reporting medication errors to help identify areas for improvement in the healthcare system. Overall, the Right Drug Dose Now Act aims to improve patient safety and reduce the number of medication errors that occur in healthcare settings. By requiring the use of technology to ensure accurate dosing, this bill has the potential to save lives and improve the quality of care for patients across the country.
Congressional Summary of HR 6875
Right Drug Dose Now Act
This bill sets out requirements and activities to address adverse drug events, including using pharmacogenomic testing to prevent them. (Pharmacogenomic testing uses a patient's genetic information to help determine the safety, efficacy, and dosage of medications for treatments.)
Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must report to Congress about the implementation of a national plan to prevent adverse drug events. Additionally, HHS must coordinate with relevant federal agencies on the report and convene a steering committee to update the plan.
HHS must also (1) require, as a condition of certification, that health information technologies automatically indicate when pharmacogenomic testing is appropriate before a medication order is completed; and (2) assess electronic health records to identify improvements necessary for developing the capacity for collecting real-world evidence in pharmacogenomics.
Furthermore, HHS must consult with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to carry out a program to improve reporting of adverse drug events and their association with a patient's genetic status. In addition, the FDA must issue regulations and make other administrative changes to update adverse drug event reporting processes, including to facilitate the acceptance of information directly from electronic health records.
The bill also requires the National Human Genomics Research Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, to (1) carry out a public awareness campaign on adverse drug events, and (2) establish a program to educate health care providers and related professionals about pharmacogenomic testing and associated issues.
