As discussed in the related primer on medication error, adverse drug events occur when exposure to a medication results in harm.Clinical trials are another area in which pharmacist leadership in designing safe protocols is critical, as there are fewer standardized safeguards in place to ensure correct medications and doses are delivered to patients.These initiatives may include developing risk-specific protocols for high-alert medications; identifying and evaluating high-risk processes (e.g., total parenteral nutrition, compounding, pediatric dose preparation) that require special attention, protocols, and training; evaluating medication error data; evaluating and implementing new medication technologies; and fostering robust error reporting processes.Pharmacists also have a crucial system-level role in planning and leading medication safety programs and improvement initiatives within health care organizations.Source: Pharmacists' Impact on Patient Safety: A Joint Project of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management and Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science.Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association; 2016.Available here.