This newsletter has been launched to address the tremendous need for consumers to better understand how to take their prescription medicines safely. Home medication errors made by patients are linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths a year and costs this country nearly $180 billion in extra medical treatments.

Only when people know how to take control of their medicines can they receive the full benefit of their treatment.

The response we received to the launching of this newsletter for consumers has far exceeded our expectations. Many organizations and newspapers across North America and Europe have requested permission to reprint the information in "Taking Control of Your Medicines" or to post it on their websites.

I have been asked if this newsletter is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company or other organization. It is not sponsored by any outside organization. My company, Consumer Health Information Corporation, is providing this information strictly as a public service. Our goal is to help consumers better understand how to take their prescription medicines safely. It is our firm belief that people can only receive the full benefit of their treatments if they know how to take control of their medicines.

Because of the terrible tragedy that occurred last week in New York and Washington, DC, we have changed the content for this month's newsletter. I believe it is critical that all patients taking prescription medicines know how to protect their medication supply. Medicines can only work if they are taken correctly and it is essential that people start thinking carefully about steps they can take to make sure they have their medicines available when they need to take them.

Dr. Dorothy L. Smith is an internationally recognized expert in patient education, patient compliance, and behavior modification programs. She has devoted her career to helping people make informed decisions about health care and use of medications. Dr. Smith is the author of 23 books and has appeared on radio and television programs across the country to increase awareness of the important role consumers play in their prescription drug therapy.

In 1983, she founded Consumer Health Information Corporation, a company internationally recognized for its innovative patient information programs. The organization has produced a broad range of print and audiovisual programs that have helped millions of people learn to make wise decisions about their health and medications. The company is a teaching site for several schools of pharmacy across the United States and a member of the Board of Directors of the National Council on Patient Information and Education.