UK, United States of America. LamictalR and LamisilR. The Committee on Safety of Medicines has drawn attention to the similarity in spelling and pronunciation of the anti-epileptic LamictalR (lamotrigine) and the antifungal agent LamisilR (terbinafine). Recent reports show that a small number of patients have been prescribed or have received the wrong drug.

Prescribing with the generic name will avoid confusion.

PilocarR and DilacorXRR. A pharmacist received an order that looked like "Resume PilocarR [pilocarpine ophthalmic solution] as at home". When he called to find out which concentration was needed, he learned that the prescription should have been "Resume Dilacor XRR" [diltiazem]. The error was avoided in this case, but it is another example of confusion due the name similarities, even when the drugs have widely divergent dosage forms, doses and uses.

References:

1) Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance Vol. 23, December 1997.

2) ISMP Medication Safety Alert!, 30 July 1997.