Maharashtra State Pharmacy Council (MSPC) has successfully completed WHO India country office funded project titled as “Building of database of brands of pharmaceutical formulations and study the cases of Misbranding and SALA Drugs responsible for Medication Errors in Maharashtra and Gujarat State. ”

The study is aimed at helping the pharmacists and practitioners to address the risk to the patient in case of misbranding.

The common person in India who purchases medicines at the chemist shops is inadequately informed about the contents of the medication. According to the study, there are two kinds of problems that are commonly encountered. First, even a casual look at the list of brands existing in the Indian pharmaceutical sector reveals that a number of products have either the same brand name or names which are very similar both phonetically and written. Second, there are a number of recorded instances where the composition of a particular brand has been changed without any change in the brand name a phenomenon termed as ‘misbranding’.  Both these have the potential to cause immense harm through misprescription and/or wrong dispensing.

Therefore, MSPC’s Drug Information Centre undertook the project in collaboration with CDSCO, MOHFW, GOI and WHO Country Office for India to study the cases of Misbranding and SALA drugs responsible for Medication Errors in Maharashtra and Gujarat State.

In conclusion, in case of misbranded drugs, cognizance must be taken by the regulatory authorities, while granting the manufacturing licence number for a particular brand. Otherwise, brand identity will be lost. Also, in case if sound-alike and look- alike (SALA) brand names of various drugs are here to stay. As new products are made available, more confusion is bound to occur. Numerous errors have occurred in the past due to misinterpretation of written or spoken names. Thus, it is the need of the hour to give a wake-up call and all those concerned should get themselves together to solve this gigantic problem.

Concludes a senior MSPC official, "The study will serve as a base to develop a cautionary approach and to make practitioners aware of these  potential hazards to the patients."