Research from faculty members Pamela Smithburger, PharmD, MS, BCPS, and Sandra Kane-Gill, PharmD, MS, FCCM, FCCP, has been accepted for publication in Critical Care Medicine. The title of their study is A Multicenter Evaluation of Off Label Medication Use and Associated Adverse Drug Reactions in Adult Medical Intensive Care Units
The research was a multi-center, prospective investigation aimed at investigating the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with off-label use as compared to FDA approved uses and if off-label use was a risk factor for the development of ADRs in an adult ICU population. Results showed that while ADRs do not occur more frequently with off-label use, ADR risk increases with each additional off-label medication used irrespective of the level of evidence to support the use of the off-label medication.
Smithburger is an associate professor in the pharmacy and therapeutics department at the School of Pharmacy.
