Vaccine nomenclature: the three-letter code. OMCL Vaccine Nomenclature Drafting Group.

With increasing worldwide use of combined vaccines a short and informative system of names or codes for vaccines is essential. In addition, within the EU eleven official languages exist and some more are used. Due to these facts an increasing risk of medication errors for vaccines is emerging. A three-letter code naming system was first developed as part of the Note for guidance on pharmaceutical and biological aspects of combined vaccines (CPMP/BWP/477/97), but was deleted there later. Then a second approach was initiated by the European OMCL Network in order to implement this three-letter code system in the common nomenclature guideline within the Ph. Eur. (Index of standard terms). Both activities have not been successful until now to implement this system. Therefore we now present the three-letter code system in order to initiate either its voluntary use by vaccine manufacturers or to accelerate the obligatory implementation within the EU legislative framework. This coding system is thought to be used in addition to the brand name of the vaccine on the label of the final vaccine container, in order to have a safe last minute check whether the appropriate antigens are given.