Consumers may purchase wrong drugs via Internet, overseas
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
August 29, 2005
The brand name of a drug in the U.S. may be the brand name of a completely different medication overseas. That leads to confusion and possible incorrect self-medicating, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.As the costs of prescriptions continue to rise, patients are increasingly willing to try ordering their medications from Canada, Europe, and elsewhere via the Internet. Norpramin, for example, is an anti-depressant in the US, but in Spain a different drug called Norpramin treats peptic ulcers.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices and World Health Organization are aware of the problem and are looking for ways to end the confusion, according to the Journal. Although there are rules governing the generic nomenclature for medications, there are no such guidelines for brand names.
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