About this website

This website does not provide medical advice. If you require medical advice, contact your healthcare provider or, if you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.

None of us likes to think that our doctor, nurse, pharmacist, caregiver—or even ourselves—might make a mistake with our medication. But these mistakes can and do happen. Nearly 1 in 10 adult Canadians with health problems reported receiving the wrong medication or the wrong dose from a pharmacy or hospital within the previous two years. Fortunately, most medication errors don’t cause harm, but some can cause serious harm and even death.

This website is a component of the Canadian Medication Incident Reporting and Prevention System (CMIRPS). CMIRPS is a voluntary, confidential program that collects, analyzes and distributes information on medication errors. The knowledge gained through analyzing reports submitted to CMIRPS is used to make medication use safer.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada) to verify the information contained in this website. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the information provided hereby lies with the reader.

About ISMP Canada

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada) is an independent national not-for-profit organization committed to the advancement of medication safety in all healthcare settings.

ISMP Canada works collaboratively with the healthcare community, regulatory agencies and policy makers, patients, families, provincial, national and international patient safety organizations, the pharmaceutical industry and the public to promote safe medication practices. ISMP Canada’s mandate includes analyzing medication errors, making recommendations for the prevention of harmful medication errors, and facilitating quality improvement initiatives.

© Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada 2020