title: Scanning for higher profits. The FDA's plan to require bar codes on commonly used medical products will do more than improve patient safety.
abstract: Omnipresent bar coding is going to get even more visible. The Food and Drug Administration has pledged to approve later this year a plan requiring bar codes on every dose of medication administered in hospitals. The FDA's initiative is garnering praise for both its capacity to improve patient safety and potential to save money.
authors.forename: Cinda
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D001330:Electronic Data Processing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D010355:Patient Identification Systems / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration