The first part of the workshop consisted of four presentations designed to (1) describe problems in ambulatory care drug safety; (2) examine the role of health literacy in patient care; (3) present findings from the American College of Physicians Foundation white paper on drug labeling; and (4) offer a proposal for standardization of drug labeling. The second part of the conference consisted of reactions to the four initial presentations by representatives from federal agencies, the pharmacy field, and other stakeholders, as well as discussion of what it would take to move towards standardization in drug labeling instructions. The workshop was moderated by George Isham, M.D., M.S., chair of the IOM Roundtable on Health Literacy.