MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Katja M Hakkarainen, M.Sc.Pharm. Doctoral researcher Nordic School of Public Health NHV Guest teacher, Doctoral studentSection for Social Medicine Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg Gothenburg, Sweden MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: In total 12% of the adult general public was found to experience harm from medicines, i.e. adverse drug events (ADEs), when we scrutinised the medical and dispensing records of 4970 adults in Sweden during three months, including 29 inpatient care departments in three hospitals, 110 specialised outpatient clinics, and 51 primary care units. Most ADEs were adverse drug reactions (also called side effects) and sub-therapeutic effects. Commonly used drugs caused most ADEs, with a high frequency of adverse drug reactions from antidepressants and cardiovascular drugs as well as sub-therapeutic effects of analgesics and cardiovascular drugs. Of all ADEs, 39% were potentially preventable, because the drug therapy or use was judged suboptimal. (more…)