Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
07:13
Digital Home-Monitoring of Patients after Kidney Transplantation: The MACCS Platform
Published on: April 12, 2021
Enhancing Medicine Safety Through Patient Empowerment
Yihua Bruce Yu1, Rutendo Kuwana2
1School of Pharmacy and Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, 9600 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA. byu@rx.umaryland.edu.
Pharmaceutical Research
|July 27, 2026
Summary
Empowering patients to actively participate in medicine safety can transform public health. This article advocates for patient empowerment as a critical priority in biomedical research and health policy.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Systems
- Public Health
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Current healthcare models position patients as passive recipients of medication.
- The disparity in numbers between patients and healthcare professionals presents an opportunity.
- Enhancing patient involvement can significantly impact public health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the concept of patient empowerment within the context of medication safety.
- To advocate for the integration of patient empowerment into healthcare strategies.
- To highlight the potential public health benefits of active patient participation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on patient engagement and medication safety.
- Analysis of current healthcare system structures.
- Policy and research recommendations for patient empowerment.
Main Results:
- Patient passivity is a significant factor in the current healthcare system.
- Patient empowerment offers a transformative approach to improving medicine safety.
- Addressing patient empowerment is crucial for advancing public health.
Conclusions:
- Patient empowerment is essential for enhancing medication safety.
- Biomedical research and development should prioritize patient involvement.
- Public health policies must actively promote and support patient empowerment.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
01:13Patient-centered Care
Patient-centered care involves delivering care beyond inpatient hospitalization. Reflective practice can enhance a patient-centered approach. Reflective practice is a process of reasoning that considers all aspects of the present situation, including practicalities, learning from personal practice, and consideration of patient needs. Patients appreciate care decisions made while considering their input. Involving the patient in their care provides the patient with a sense of contribution rather...
01:19Pharmacovigilance
Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
01:15Impact of Pharmacokinetic–Pharmacodynamic Models: Regulatory Decisions
PK–PD modeling has significantly influenced FDA regulatory decisions, particularly drug approval, dosage optimization, and labeling. These models integrate pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) to predict drug behavior and effects, aiding in optimizing dosing regimens and enhancing the probability of clinical trial success.One notable example is Nesiritide (Natrecor®), a recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide for treating acute decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF).
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...