Patient Safety Tool: FDA and ISMP Lists of Look-Alike Drug Names With Recommended Tall Man Letters

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has published a document which provides a table with the FDA-approved list of generic drug names and another table with an ISMP list of additional drug names presented with tall man (mixed case) letters to draw attention to the dissimilarities in their names.

 

According to the ISMP, studies have shown that highlighting sections of drug names using mixed case letters can help distinguish similar drug names, making them less prone to mix-ups.

 

ISMP, FDA, The Joint Commission and organizations promote the use of tall man letters to help reduce confusion between similar drug names.

 

To download the document, click here (pdf).

 

Download other patient safety-related tools and resources:

 

- Surgical Safety Checklist and Toolkit for Download From BCBS

 

- Sample Infection Control Risk Assessment

 

- Sample Sterile Processing Department Testing and Load Form and QI Worksheet

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