United States of America - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is launching a new programme to make drug safety information publicly available in an easily accessible format. Patients are taking a more active role in their healthcare, the FDA wants to make safety information available about the medicines they are using. The Drug Safety Initiative has the following components:

• Drug safety information located together in a new web location.

• Drug specific information for healthcare professionals, patients and other consumers.

• Draft Guidance: FDA's "Drug Watch" for Emerging Drug Safety Information.

• Federal Register Notice of Availability - Draft Guidance for Industry on the Food and Drug Administration's "Drug Watch" for Emerging Drug Safety Information.

• Manual of Policies and Procedures (MaPP).

• Drug Safety Oversight Board Meetings.

Reference: Drug information on http://www.fda.gov/cder. 23 June 2005