Patient group calls for more controls in medicine prescriptions
The Irish Patients Association says people on prescription medicine should be given consent forms to ensure they are warned about possible side effects.
It follows a warning from the HSE to doctors about the dangers of prescribing incorrect dosages of blood-thinning drugs aimed at reducing the risk of stroke.
A health service review shows that 4,000 patients on the drugs had either been prescribed too low a dosage, or had been given other medicines which minimised or counteracted its effects.
Professor Michael Barry of the HSE's Medicines Management Programme says anyone with concerns should contact their GP.
