|
|
Article: Confusing drug names can lead to medication errors
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- November 24, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Associated Press. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Associated Press. (Hide copyright information)
|
LAURAN NEERGAARD AP Medical Writer
AP Online
11-24-1998
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The patient needed an injection of Narcan but instead got the drug Norcuron and went into cardiac arrest.
More than 1,000 U.S. drugs have names that either look or sound so much alike that doctors, nurses and pharmacists can get them confused, dispensing the wrong one in errors that can injure or even kill patients.
Now a Chicago scientist has developed a computer program that may prevent some errors - by predicting which drugs will be most confusing so manufacturers can change the name or pharmacists can take extra care.
``If we can predict it, we should be able to prevent it,'' said Bruce Lambert of the ...