FDA Issues Warning to MDs, Pharmacists About Errors Related to Zyprexa, Zyrtec
FDA has issued a warning to physicians and pharmacists about errors in the prescription and dispensation of two medications with similar names -- Zyprexa, an antipsychotic manufactured by Eli Lilly, and Zyrtec, an antihistamine manufactured by Pfizer, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a letter sent to health care professionals that appeared on the FDA Web site on Tuesday, Lilly officials said that the company has received reports of errors related to the two medications. "These reports include instances where Zyprexa was incorrectly dispensed for Zyrtec and vice versa, leading to various adverse events in some instances," the letter said, adding, "These errors could result in unnecessary adverse events or potential relapse in patients suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder." Heather Lusk, a spokesperson for Lilly, said that the company has received 79 reports since the medications reached the market in 1996 from patients who received incorrect prescriptions. She added that "few" of the errors related to the medications have resulted in hospitalization. As part of a promotional campaign targeted at health care professionals, Lilly plans to revise the label of the 10-milligram bottle of Zyprexa to help reduce the risk for errors, company officials said. The revisions will include "capitalizing Zyprexa, except for the letter 'y' and offsetting the last five letters in yellow highlights," Lusk said (Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 2/9).
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