FDA Issues Safety Alert Regarding Medication Errors

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety warning regarding reports of brand name confusion.

The agency received 50 reports of healthcare professionals confusing the blood-thinner Brillinta (ticagrelor) and the antidepressant Brintellix (vortioxetine).

Although the agency noted that none of the reports indicated that patients had unknowingly ingested the wrong medication, prescribing and dispensing error reports continue.

“In one case, a pharmacist misinterpreted Brintellix as Brilinta and did not dispense any medication because the patient had a contraindication to blood thinners,” according to the FDA’s statement.

The FDA recommends that the generic names of the drugs be used to help reduce confusion.

Click here for the full communication.

--Stephanie Vaccaro

Reference:

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA warns about prescribing and dispensing errors resulting from brand name confusion with antidepressant Brintellix (vortioxetine) and antiplatelet Brilinta (ticagrelor). www.fda.gov. 2015 Jul 30.