§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases his Department is aware of where the similarity of some generic drug names have resulted in mistakes with prescriptions.
§ Mr. MellorWe do not routinely collect such information. The number of reported serious accidents arising from prescribing mistakes due to apparent confusion over similar names (whether of generic or 769W proprietary medicinal products) is thought to be extremely low—probably not more than one a year on average. Generic medicines marketed in the United Kingdom must be prescribed by their statutory British approved name. These names are devised having regard, among other factors, to the desirability of avoiding confusing similarity with other generic or proprietary names. Lists of names of medicines which look or sound alike are published from time to time in the medical and pharmaceutical press.