Frédéric Tranchard1, Julia Gauthier1, Christophe Hein2, Jean Lacombe3, Katharine Brett1, Hélène Villars2, Brigitte Sallerin4, Jean-Louis Montastruc5, Fabien Despas6. 1. Laboratoire de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France. 2. Service de médecine gériatrique, gérontopôle, CHU de Toulouse, 31000 Toulouse, France. 3. Département universitaire de médecine générale, faculté de médecine, université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France. 4. Service de pharmacie, CHU de Toulouse, 31000 Toulouse, France; Laboratoire de pharmacie clinique, faculté de pharmacie, université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France. 5. Laboratoire de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France; Faculté de médecine, centre de pharmacovigilance, de pharmacoépidémiologie et d'informations sur le médicament, service de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, centre hospitalier universitaire, UMR Inserm 1027, CIC Inserm 1436, 31000 Toulouse, France. 6. Laboratoire de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France; Faculté de médecine, centre de pharmacovigilance, de pharmacoépidémiologie et d'informations sur le médicament, service de pharmacologie médicale et clinique, centre hospitalier universitaire, UMR Inserm 1027, CIC Inserm 1436, 31000 Toulouse, France; UMR 1027 Inserm-université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, 31000 Toulouse, France. Electronic address: fabien.despas@univ-tlse3.fr.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Faced with the increasing number of pharmaceutical products on the market, several pharmacovigilance notifications regarding confusion between look-alike and sound-alike drugs have been reported. This study of perception among patients, family physicians and pharmacists aims to evaluate drug identification factors and the risk of errors of confusion for patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were systematically approached in randomly selected pharmacies within the Midi-Pyrénées region in France and invited to complete a questionnaire. Two other questionnaires were respectively sent to family physicians and pharmacists in the same region asking for their opinion on patients' perception of the identification of prescribed medicines. RESULTS: Of the 768 patients interviewed, most report identifying their medications by name (brand name: 50%; generic: 21%), while a smaller number cite physical appearance (box: 16%, tablet: 7% and blister packaging: 3%). In practice the factors considered most likely to cause confusion by patients relate to drug appearance (look-alike tablets: 28%, look-alike boxes: 20% and look-alike blister packaging: 13%). In contrast, look-alike and sound-alike names (generic and brand names combined) were cited in 31% of cases. Physicians (n=345) and pharmacists (n=198) understimate that patients identify their treatment by name (physicians: 46%; pharmacists: 26% vs. patients: 71%), reporting instead that problems arise mainly from the appearance of medicines (physicians: identification: 52% and risk factors for confusion: 74%; pharmacists: identification: 74% and risk factors for confusion: 83%; versus patients: identification: 26%; risk factors for confusion: 61%). DISCUSSION: Our study highlights the critical role of medication name in identifying drugs among patients. However, confusion of look-alike tablets or pills figures prominently among fears surrounding medication errors. Despite several notifications of pharmacovigilance, this issue appears to be underestimated within the body of medical literature. Proper identification of medicines by patients is essential to improving medication safety and therapeutic compliance. Concrete measures can be undertaken to reach this goal.
INTRODUCTION: Faced with the increasing number of pharmaceutical products on the market, several pharmacovigilance notifications regarding confusion between look-alike and sound-alike drugs have been reported. This study of perception among patients, family physicians and pharmacists aims to evaluate drug identification factors and the risk of errors of confusion for patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS:Patients were systematically approached in randomly selected pharmacies within the Midi-Pyrénées region in France and invited to complete a questionnaire. Two other questionnaires were respectively sent to family physicians and pharmacists in the same region asking for their opinion on patients' perception of the identification of prescribed medicines. RESULTS: Of the 768 patients interviewed, most report identifying their medications by name (brand name: 50%; generic: 21%), while a smaller number cite physical appearance (box: 16%, tablet: 7% and blister packaging: 3%). In practice the factors considered most likely to cause confusion by patients relate to drug appearance (look-alike tablets: 28%, look-alike boxes: 20% and look-alike blister packaging: 13%). In contrast, look-alike and sound-alike names (generic and brand names combined) were cited in 31% of cases. Physicians (n=345) and pharmacists (n=198) understimate that patients identify their treatment by name (physicians: 46%; pharmacists: 26% vs. patients: 71%), reporting instead that problems arise mainly from the appearance of medicines (physicians: identification: 52% and risk factors for confusion: 74%; pharmacists: identification: 74% and risk factors for confusion: 83%; versus patients: identification: 26%; risk factors for confusion: 61%). DISCUSSION: Our study highlights the critical role of medication name in identifying drugs among patients. However, confusion of look-alike tablets or pills figures prominently among fears surrounding medication errors. Despite several notifications of pharmacovigilance, this issue appears to be underestimated within the body of medical literature. Proper identification of medicines by patients is essential to improving medication safety and therapeutic compliance. Concrete measures can be undertaken to reach this goal.
Authors: Viktoria S Wurmbach; Steffen J Schmidt; Anette Lampert; Simone Bernard; Christine K Faller; Petra A Thürmann; Walter E Haefeli; Hanna M Seidling Journal: Patient Prefer Adherence Date: 2021-11-06 Impact factor: 2.711
Authors: Jinghan Qu; Wei Zuo; Roxane L Took; Kenneth W Schafermeyer; Stephanie Lukas; Shaohong Wang; Liping Du; Xin Liu; Yang Gao; Jiantao Li; Hui Pan; Xiaoli Du; Dan Mei; Bo Zhang Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2022-08-20 Impact factor: 2.908