About CERTs
Annual Report Year 1
Steering Committee Letter | Introduction | The CERTs Program | Year 1 Progress | Year 2 and Beyond | Conclusion | CERTs Organization | CERTs Projects | Publications
Conclusion
In November 1999, just after the CERTs demonstration program began, the Institute of Medicine reported that drug errors alone kill up to 7000 Americans each year—more than are killed by workplace injuries. Thousands more are inconvenienced, harmed, or disabled by errors in therapies, whether drugs or other products. Clearly the time has come for CERTs.
For the first time, the public and private sectors have come together to address critical questions about the way medical products are and should be used in the United States. By continuing to have a broad pool of collaborators and support, we can persevere in our effort to answer questions so important to society.
Partners in CERTs, whether government agencies, academic groups, practitioners, drug and device companies, commercial research groups, or consumer representatives, are committed to seeking answers together, putting society's interests first. This makes CERTs unique.
Already, the knowledge gained from CERTs has been translated into action that will improve health—the bottom line for us. Hundreds of breast-fed infants in one State now receive free vitamin D supplements, because of a CERTs pilot study. Parents of these infants, and soon perhaps of infants in all States, will have one less thing to lose sleep over: rickets.
We have started to answer important questions, but much work remains. We are excited to be a part of this program and look forward to making a difference in all the years to come.
—The CERTs Group