USP–NF: U.S. Pharmocopeia (USP) Seeks Comments on Standards for Patient-Centered Prescription Labels

U.S. Pharmocopeia (USP) Seeks Comments on Standards for Patient-Centered Prescription Labels

AHRQ staff participated on U.S. Pharmacopeia's Health Literacy and Prescription Container Labeling Advisory Panel, which developed standards for patient-centered labels for prescription medicine containers. The standards were developed as a result of a meeting of the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Health Literacy.

USP is seeking comments from pharmacists and other healthcare professionals on a newly proposed General Chapter <17> Prescription Container Labeling that codifies standards for patient-centered prescription container labels. The deadline for comments is March 31, 2011.

To view and comment on the proposed chapter, go to http://www.usp.org/USPNF/notices/generalChapter17.html.

USP Seeks Comments on Proposed General Chapter <17> Prescription Container Labeling

Posting Date: 03 January 2011

USP is seeking comments from pharmacists and other healthcare professionals for the newly proposed General Chapter <17> Prescription Container Labeling, which appears in Pharmacopeial Forum (PF) 37(1). The deadline for comments is March 31, 2011. See the link below for the proposed General Chapter <17>.

This proposed standard focuses on patient-centered label standards for the format, appearance, content, and language of prescription medication instructions on prescription containers to promote optimal patient understanding. The standard could be adopted by state boards of pharmacy, other governmental authorities, or conformity assessment bodies into state laws, regulations, guidelines, or other documents.

The proposed General Chapter <17> was developed in the 2005-2010 cycle by the Health Literacy and Prescription Container Labeling Advisory Panel (HL AP), which reported at the time to the Safe Medication Use Expert Committee. The HL AP has transferred to the 2010-2015 Nomenclature, Safety, and Labeling Expert Committee and is now the Prescription Container Labeling Expert Panel. The Expert Panel developed the proposed standard as a result of a meeting on Health Literacy sponsored by the Institute of Medicine and resulting call for standards for prescription container labeling.

Should you have questions, please contact Shawn C. Becker, M.S., R.N., Director, Healthcare Quality Standards (301-816-8216 or scb@usp.org).

Download General Chapter <17> Prescription Container Labeling (64KB) [http://www.usp.org/pdf/EN/USPNF/M5531.pdf]

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