The Potential Interaction is Important, but the Consequences and Solutions Are Paramount

* Abbreviations: ADE — : adverse drug event DDI — : drug-drug interaction Medication errors in pediatric and adult patients occur at similar rates. However, pediatric patients are three times more likely to experience harm as a result of a medication error.1 Significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs) occur that may result in adverse drug events (ADEs) sometimes leading to patient harm.2 DDIs cause patient harm by altering medication effectiveness or increasing the potential for toxicity.3 We applaud Antoon et al4 for examining the prevalence, identifying pediatric DDI risk factors, and prescribing practice variation associated with significant DDIs in patients hospitalized in US children’s hospitals. In their study, they describe “what is.” Their results are not surprising and, importantly, the information provides a platform for driving improved outcomes. We agree with the authors that the next steps should include focused efforts to identify DDI-related harm in children and subsequent interventions to prevent such harm. Specifically, additional studies to prevent DDIs should include mitigation strategies children’s hospitals are using or could use to reduce DDIs with a focus on the impact these mitigations have on preventable harm. There are items in the article by Antoon et al4 that require clarification and further discussion. First, newborns and infants in … Address correspondence to Jenna Merandi, PharmD, MS, CPPS, Department of Pharmacy, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH 43205. E-mail: jenna.merandi{at}nationwidechildrens.org