Healthy Skepticism Library item: 1786

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Berman A.
Reducing medication errors through naming, labeling, and packaging.
J Med Syst 2004 Feb; 28:(1):9-29

Abstract:

Errors due to look-alike or sound-alike medication names are common in the United States, and are responsible for thousands of deaths and millions of dollars in cost each year. Up to 25% of all medication errors are attributed to name confusion, and 33% to packaging and/or labeling confusion. Thousands of medication name pairs have been confused based on similar appearances or sounds when written or spoken, or have been identified as having the potential for confusion. Systems and recommendations have been developed that may reduce the occurrence of such errors

Keywords:
Drug Labeling/methods* Drug Labeling/standards Drug Packaging/methods* Drug Packaging/standards Humans Medication Errors/economics Medication Errors/prevention & control* United States