We need an urgent review of medicines labelling in Australia and New Zealand
Almost 25% of patients admitted to hospital a decade ago received inappropriately prescribed medicines.1 As 40% of patients aged over 70 years receive more than five medicines, they are increasingly vulnerable to medication errors.1 Increasing brand substitution due to the proliferation of generic medicines adds to the potential for consumer and practitioner confusion and the likelihood of medication misadventure.2
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Runciman W, Roughead E, Semple S, Adams R. Adverse drug events and medication errors in Australia. Int J Qual Health Care 2003; 15 (Suppl 1): i49-i59.
- 2. Ortiz M, Simmons L, Calcino G. Generic substitution of commonly used medications: Australia-wide experience, 2007–2008. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 370-373. <MJA full text>
- 3. Faunce T, Lofgren H, Harvey K, Johnston K. Tendering for low cost generics in Australia. Health Issues 2006; 87: 26-29.
- 4. Donovan J. Is there a role for generic medicines in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme? Health Issues 2003; 75: 9-11.
- 5. Bromley J, Buckley N. XmasTM (brand substitution not permitted). Med J Aust 2006; 185: 687. <MJA full text>
- 6. MIMS Online. http://www.mimsonline.com.au (accessed Aug 2010).
- 7. Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care. Second national report on patient safety. Improving medication safety. Canberra: ACSQHC, 2002. http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/internet/safety/publishing.nsf/Content/F0FD7442D1F2F8DDCA2571C6000894FF/$File/med_saf_rept.pdf (accessed Nov 2011).
- 8. Institute for Safe Medication Practices. Progress with preventing name confusion errors. Medication Safety Alert 2007; Aug 9. http://www.ismp.org/Newsletters/acutecare/articles/20070809.asp (accessed Nov 2011).
- 9. Fosnocht D, Taylor JR, Caravati EM. Emergency department patient knowledge concerning acetaminophen (paracetamol) in over-the-counter and prescription analgesics. Emerg Med J 2008 ; 25: 213-216.
- 10. Graudins L, Gazarian M. Promoting safe use of paracetamol in children. J Pharm Pract Res 2006; 36: 297-300.
- 11. Aloizos J, Chairman; Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council. APAC activities 2005/06 financial year. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/nmp-publications-apacact0506 (accessed Nov 2011).
- 12. Pharmacy Guild of Australia. Medicine naming and packaging is a quality use of medicine issue and requires a systems/continuous quality improvement approach. Report from Pharmacy Guild of Australia, 2002. Canberra: Pharmacy Guild of Australia, 2002.
- 13. McLachlan AJ. Generic medicines literacy — minimising the potential for patient confusion [editorial]. Med J Aust 2010; 192: 368-369. <MJA full text>
- 14. Advisory Committee on Prescription Medicines, Therapeutic Goods Administration. ACPM 268th meeting recommendations, 4-5 February 2010. http://www.tga.gov.au/about/acpm-recommendations-2010-0268.htm (accessed Nov 2011).
- 15. Therapeutic Goods Administration. Best practice guideline on prescription medicine labelling. Canberra: TGA, 2008. http://www.tga.gov.au/industry/labelling-pm-best-practice.htm (accessed Nov 2011).
- 16. Kenagy J, Stein G. Naming, labeling, and packaging of pharmaceuticals. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2001; 58: 2033-2041.
Shane Carney is a member of the Generic Medicines Industry Association of Australia Code of Conduct Committee. Robert Penhall received a grant from Novartis for the International CARE study (a 24-week multi-centre open-label evaluation of compliance and tolerability of once-daily 10 cm2 Exelon patch formulation in patients with probable Alzheimer disease) in 2008 and received travel assistance from Servier for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society Meeting, Sydney, 2009. Christine Jenkins has received payments from the pharmaceutical industry for membership of advisory boards and speaker's fees in the past 3 years, but not from any entities mentioned in this articles. Richard Day is a board member of the Drug Information Association; has been on advisory boards for Reckitt Benckiser; GlaxoSmithKline, Abbott Australasia, and the data and safety monitoring board for CBio and Progen; and is an independent member of the Medicines Australia Code of Conduct Committee nominated by the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists.