Beware of drug soundalikes

The name of the sleeping pill Lunesta sounds a lot like Neulasta, the name of a drug used in cancer therapy. A pharmacist confused the two in a case reported in the journal Hospital Pharmacy. Fortunately, another pharmacist corrected the mistake before the wrong drug reached the patient.

Up to 25 percent of the reported medication errors are caused by confusing drug names that sound alike, according to a recent report from the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine. Such potentially dangerous mix-ups are compounded by labels that look alike, poor physician penmanship, and sloppy pronunciation when phoning in drug orders. When mix-ups occur, patients not only fail to receive adequate treatment for their problem but might also suffer adverse events. Here’s how to protect yourself:

When your doctor prescribes a drug, ask him or her to print the name and dosage for you, then spell it back aloud. If it’s a brand-name drug, make note of the generic name as well.

Ask your doctor to briefly note the drug’s intended purpose on the prescription form. That will enable the pharmacist to make sure the drug is for the right purpose.

Don’t leave the pharmacy until you’ve checked the label on your prescription. If a refill doesn’t look the same as your usual medication, ask the pharmacist to double-check.