Every year, thousands of lives are affected by adverse drug events (ADEs) despite being one of the most preventable threats to patient safety. Dr. Sara Rogers, Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine (EnMed) and a key advocate for National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day, is working to change that. She is bringing medication safety to the forefront of healthcare discussions through education, advocacy, and policy reform.
Understanding Adverse Drug Events
An adverse drug event is any harm caused by a medication, whether due to side effects, medication errors, allergic reactions, or drug interactions. “ADEs are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., yet they are largely preventable with the right safeguards in place,” says Rogers.
Recognizing this problem, Rogers helped establish National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day to drive systemic change. “Too often, ADEs are viewed as isolated incidents rather than a widespread public health concern,” she explains. “By dedicating a day to this cause, we aim to engage healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public in a collective effort to reduce medication-related harm.”
ADEs can arise from medication errors, drug-drug interactions, inappropriate prescribing, lack of patient education, and even genetic factors that affect how people metabolize medications.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Polypharmacy (taking multiple medications at once) – The more medications a person takes, the higher the risk of interactions and side effects
- Inappropriate prescribing or dosing errors – Prescribing the wrong drug, an incorrect dose, or failing to adjust for kidney or liver function
- Lack of pharmacogenomic considerations – Some patients have genetic variations that make them process drugs differently, which can lead to severe reactions
- Inadequate patient education – If patients don’t fully understand how or when to take their medications, they may take too much, too little, or mix incompatible drugs
- Transitions of care issues – Medication lists often change when patients move between healthcare settings (e.g., from hospital to home), increasing the risk of errors
Prevention and Awareness is Key
Raising awareness requires a multi-faceted approach that includes public education, healthcare provider training, and policy advocacy. Some key efforts include:
- Public campaigns like the #FourthCause initiative use real-world stories to highlight the impact of ADEs
- Professional training programs that emphasize ADE prevention in medical, pharmacy, and nursing schools
- Legislative efforts to improve medication safety policies, including better labeling and safety alerts
- Expanding pharmacogenomics education to integrate genetic insights into prescribing practices
- Community outreach and patient engagement through webinars, workshops, and social media campaigns to empower patients to ask the right questions about their medications
Rogers is also involved in several initiatives aimed at reducing ADEs. “At Texas A&M Health, we launched a comprehensive medication management service with a real-time dashboard to assist clinicians in identifying potential risks before harm occurs,” she shares. Additionally, she co-led the STRIPE Initiative, a collaboration with the FDA and other stakeholders to standardize pharmacogenomics practices and ensure safer medication use.
EnMed’s Role in Medication Safety Education
At EnMed, Rogers is helping to integrate medication safety and awareness into the curriculum by focusing on emerging approaches like pharmacogenomics and precision medicine.
“We are embedding pharmacogenomics and precision medicine into the curriculum to teach students how genetic differences impact drug metabolism,” she explains. Through simulated case studies and real-world examples, students are equipped to recognize and reduce the risks of ADEs in clinical practice.
Rogers also highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary collaborations, noting that these partnerships between engineering and medicine give students the opportunity to explore innovative technologies for ADE detection and prevention.
“We emphasize a culture of medication safety, focusing on systems-based solutions rather than placing blame on individuals,” she adds. By incorporating these approaches, EnMed prepares future healthcare professionals to leverage technology and data-driven solutions to reduce ADEs and improve patient outcomes.
Looking Ahead the Future of Medication Safety
In the near future, Rogers envisions National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day evolving into a nationwide movement that drives policy changes, including stronger safety labeling, more pharmacist-led medication reviews, and improved insurance coverage for medication safety interventions, alongside clinical practice improvements.
“My vision includes greater national recognition, with healthcare institutions formally observing the day and implementing ADE prevention programs. Increased funding and research will support advancements in clinical decision-support tools, pharmacogenomics, and AI-driven medication safety innovations,” states Rogers.
A Shared Responsibility
At the end of the day, ADEs don’t just impact statistics; they affect real people, families, and communities. This is a shared responsibility that requires awareness, action, and collaboration. By working together, we can prevent harm, save lives, and create a healthcare system that prioritizes patient safety.
Rogers shares her advice for both healthcare professionals and patients:
Healthcare Providers:
- Know your patients’ full medication history – including OTC drugs, supplements, and herbals
- Use clinical decision support tools to flag potential interactions and dosing issues
- Leverage pharmacogenomics where appropriate to personalize treatments
- Communicate clearly with patients about medication risks and adherence
- Encourage deprescribing when necessary – not every medication is always needed long-term
Patients:
- Keep an up-to-date medication list and share it with every healthcare provider you see
- Ask questions – What is this medication for? What are the risks? Are there alternatives?
- Be aware of signs of adverse drug reactions – report unusual symptoms to your doctor
- Avoid self-medicating with multiple OTC drugs or supplements without consulting a healthcare professional
- Advocate for yourself – if something feels off with your medication, speak up
Adverse drug events (ADEs) affect countless lives each year, yet many cases go unreported or unnoticed. Personal stories play a powerful role in raising awareness, driving change, and encouraging better medication safety practices. Whether you’ve experienced an ADE firsthand, cared for someone affected, or worked in a healthcare setting where medication errors had an impact, your story can help shine a light on the need for improved safeguards.
By sharing real experiences, we foster a deeper understanding of ADEs, push for stronger policies, and empower others to take an active role in their medication safety. Join the conversation by using #FourthCause and help make National Adverse Drug Event Awareness Day a movement that drives real change.
The long-term goal is to reduce medication-related harm and prevent avoidable deaths—turning awareness into tangible action.
