Two specific types of vena cava filters, devices used to prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs, appear to have evidence of fracturing inside the body, with some fractured fragments traveling to the heart and causing potentially life-threatening complications, according to a report posted online that will appear in the November 8 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) intends to create tools to promote the meaningful use of health information technology (HIT) and incorporate them into ABMS Maintenance of Certification® (ABMS MOC®), a program created by ABMS and its 24 Member Boards to promote lifelong learning and self assessment for physician specialists.

To reduce the likelihood of patient death and disability resulting from errors in the administration of injectable medications in hospitals and other healthcare settings, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is advancing new labeling requirements that will standardize the information permitted on the highly visible area of these vials to only cautionary statements intended to prevent imminent life-threatening situations.