The Food and Drug Administration has launched an initiative, as confirmed by the group on Wednesday, to ensure that the number of preventable deaths and injuries, caused by the misuse or accidental overdose of medication, can be prevented as much as possible.

Christened the Safe Use Initiative, the drive will, in the words of Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, "Focus preventable injuries and deaths caused by medication errors such as unintentional exposures, misuse, abuse and attempts at self- harm".

Statistics have proved that the misuse of prescription drugs results in as many as 100,000 hospitalizations every year. Also, nearly 1.5 million preventable drug related injuries occur, that too in the health-care facilities alone. In such a scenario, FDA's drive is being viewed as just the thing needed to ensure that the figures are under control.

In addition to starting the Safe Use Initiative, FDA has also released a revised guideline for buying over the counter liquid medicines. With these new guidelines, health officials are hoping to make the dosage directions clearer and measuring better.