Make sure that the pills you get from the pharmacist are the ones that you asked for.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—From the time your doctor scribbles a prescription on a pad to the time you pop the pill into your mouth, there are many opportunities for error. For example, if you forget to tell your doc about an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine you take, the prescription could interact dangerously with the OTC ingredients. If a pharmacist mistakes the prescription for a similarly spelled one, you could end up taking Celebrex for arthritis instead of Celexa for depression, or Actos for type 2 diabetes instead of the intended Actonel for osteoporosis. So to reduce the number of unnecessary medication interactions and accidental overdoses that can sicken or even kill people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched its new Safe Use Initiative.

THE DETAILS: The Institute of Medicine estimates that at least 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur within the healthcare system each year, at a cost estimated at $4 billion annually. With its new initiative, the FDA plans to work with healthcare professionals and drug experts to ID the drug classes most commonly involved in preventable medication interactions, which typically stem from lack of information, unintentional misuse, and medication abuse. As these drugs are identified, the FDA will work with other federal agencies, pharmacies, hospitals, doctors, nurses, state regulatory bodies, health-insurance companies, patients, and consumers to lower the instances of misuse.

WHAT IT MEANS: Anytime you take medicine or supplements, there are inherent risks involved. That's why it's best to take preventive measures like exercising and eating whole, organic foods. But even the healthiest among us can get sick, so that's why it's important to do everything you can to stop preventable medicine interactions before they start.

Here are some tips to protect yourself against avoidable drug interactions.

• Know that acetaminophen adds up. Acetaminophen is a popular painkiller found in many OTC meds like Tylenol, DayQuil, and Excedrin, along with many other generic OTC drugs, including cold, sinus, allergy, and flu medications. But it's also the active ingredient in some prescription drugs, and combining too many meds with acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage. A study published in a 2005 issue of the journal Hepatology found that acetaminophen-related liver injuries were the top cause of acute liver failure between 1998 and 2003; nearly half in the study overdosed on the drug without even knowing it. In fact, the problem is so common, the FDA held an advisory committee meeting on mitigating the risks of acetaminophen liver toxicity, and suggested lowering the recommended maximum dosage (4 grams) because taking a dose just slightly higher can cause liver damage. Bottom line? Be careful mixing OTC drugs, and especially cautious when using a prescription painkiller with an OTC drug that contains acetaminophen. Always let your doctor know what OTC meds you take.