Dermatologic Look- or Sound-Alike Medications

January 2004 | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Original Article | 61 | Copyright © January 2004


Loretta Gremillion MD and Daniel J Hogan MD

Abstract
Medication errors contribute substantially to patient injury and death, with 25% of these errors attributed to drug names that look or sound alike. This article was written to heighten the awareness of dermatologists and related health care professionals of confusing dermatologic drug names and includes a table of 166 look- and sound-alike drug names. Measures to decrease medication errors due to confusing drug nomenclature in dermatology are suggested in order to maximize patient safety