Institute for Safe Medication Practices ISMP’s List of Products with Drug Name Suffixes urrently, drug and biological products within a product line may uti- Through an unrestricted grant from the Pharmaceutical Research and lize the existing trademark with the addition of a suffix to help iden- Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), ISMP surveyed 23 companies, which C tify a modified-dosage formulation, differentiate the dosing schedule were members of PhRMA, the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), or the product strength, or a variety of other reasons rather than propose and/or the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA), that market U.S. an entirely different trademark. A suffix may be a letter, number, or com- prescription drug and biological product names that contain a suffix. This bination of letters and/or numbers added to the end of a trademark. document provides a list of drug and biological products, marketed by those 23 companies, whose names contain a suffix, along with meanings As an unintended consequence, the use of drug name suffixes may con- of the suffix. Please note: this list does not include every currently mar- tribute to confusion and medication errors. Errors involving products with keted drug or biological product whose name contains a suffix. suffixes may lead to an incorrect dosing interval or the wrong medication being prescribed, dispensed or administered. Numerous medication errors ISMP would like to thank PhRMA, BIO, and GPhA, along with their mem- which may be associated with the use of a drug name suffix have been ber companies that participated in this project, for their dedication to the reported to the Institute for Safe Medications Practices Medication Errors development of this list. ISMP will maintain this list and work to expand it Reporting Program (ISMP MERP) and the US Food and Drug so that information about other U.S. drug and biologic products with a Administration MEDWATCH Program. drug name suffix will be available to practitioners. Proprietary Name Generic Name Available Strengths Labeled Dosing Labeled Meaning of Product Manufacturer Frequency Suffixa Characteristicb ACTOplus met pioglitazone hydrochloride 15 mg/500 mg Once or twice daily n/a Other (n/a) Takeda Pharmaceuticals and metformin 15 mg/850 mg hydrochloride Adalat CC nifedipine 30 mg Once daily Coat core Modified-dosage Bayer Healthcare 60 mg formulation 90 mg Advair Diskus 100/50 fluticasone propionate 100 mcg/50 mcg Twice daily Delivery device Device GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation 100 mcg/50 mcg Strength of active powder ingredients Advair Diskus 250/50 fluticasone propionate 250 mcg/50 mcg Twice daily Delivery device Device GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation 250 mcg/ 50 mcg Strength of active powder ingredients Advair Diskus 500/50 fluticasone propionate 500 mcg/50 mcg Twice daily Delivery device Device GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation 500 mcg/ 50 mcg Strength of active powder ingredients Advair HFA 45/21 fluticasone propionate 45 mcg/21 mcg Twice daily hydrofluouroalkane Other (Propellant used for GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation (propellant) inhalation) aerosol Strength of active ingredients Advair HFA 115/21 fluticasone propionate 115 mcg/21 mcg Twice daily hydrofluouroalkane Other (Propellant used for GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation (propellant) inhalation) aerosol Strength of active ingredients Advair HFA 230/21 fluticasone propionate 230 mcg/21 mcg Twice daily hydrofluouroalkane Other (Propellant used for GlaxoSmithKline and salmeterol inhalation (propellant) inhalation) aerosol Strength of active ingredients Advil PM solubilized ibuprofen and 200 mg ibuprofen and 2 tablets every 24 hours Night time Dosing schedule Wyeth* diphenhydramine 25 mg diphenhydramine Alka-Seltzer PM aspirin and 325 mg aspirin and At bedtime as needed Nighttime Dosing schedule Bayer Healthcare diphenhydramine citrate 38 mg diphenhydramine citrate Anaprox DS naproxen sodium 550 mg Twice daily Double strength (550 mg) Indication for use Roche Ascensia ELITE XL blood glucose meter not applicable As needed Added features like, Other (n/a) Bayer Healthcare 14-day averaging and increased memory up to 120 tests compared to standard product 0 1 Atacand HCT candesartan cilexetil and 16 mg/12.5 mg Please refer to full Hydrochlorothiazide Other (Inclusion of active Astrazeneca LP 0 2 P hydrochlorothiazide 32 mg/12.5 mg prescribing information ingredient) M S I 32 mg/25 mg © * Wyeth is now part of Pfizer. ** Schering-Plough is now part of Merck & CO. 1 Institute for Safe Medication Practices ISMP’s List of Products with Drug Name Suffixes Proprietary Name Generic Name Available Strengths Labeled Dosing Labeled Meaning of Product Manufacturer Frequency Suffixa Characteristicb Augmentin ES-600 amoxicillin and 600 mg/5 mL Twice daily Extra strength dose of Strength of active GlaxoSmithKline clavulanate potassium 600 mg/75 mL 600 mg ingredients 600 mg/200 mL Augmentin XR amoxicillin and 1000 mg Every 12 hours Extended release Modified-dosage GlaxoSmithKline clavulanate potassium formulation extended release Axid AR nizatidine 75 mg Twice daily Acid reducer Indication for use Wyeth* Azulfidine En-tabs sulfasalazine 500mg Twice per day, Delayed release tablets Modified-dosage Pfizer US Pharmaceutical administered dosage formulation Group strength amount varies by indication, patient, & therapy course Beconase AQ beclomethasone 42 mcg per actuation Twice daily Aqueous Other (Formulation) GlaxoSmithKline dipropionate, monohydrate Benicar HCT olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg/12.5 mg Once daily Hydrochlorothiazide Other (Inclusion of active Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and hydrochlorothiazide 40 mg/12.5 mg ingredient) 40 mg/25 mg Betapace AF sotalol 80 mg Varies Atrial fibrillation/atrial Indication for use Bayer Healthcare 120 mg flutter 160 mg Biaxin XL clarithromycin extended 500 mg Once daily Extended release Modified-dosage Abbott Laboratories release formulation Calan SR verapamil hydrochloride 120 mg Once daily, twice daily or Sustained release Modified-dosage Pfizer US Pharmaceutical sustained release 180 mg every 12 hours formulation Group 240 mg Cardura XL doxazosin mesylate 4 mg,8 mg Once daily Extended release Modified-dosage Pfizer US Pharmaceutical formulation Group Catapres-TTS clonidine 0.1mg/24 hr Once weekly Transdermal therapeutic Delivery mechanism Boehringer Ingelheim 0.2 mg/24 hr system Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 0.3 mg/24 hr Caverject Impulse alprostadil 10 mcg Single dose syringe with Dual chamber syringe Device Pfizer US Pharmaceutical 20 mcg dual chamber cartridge system Group Ceclor CD cefaclor 375 mg Every 12 hours Controlled delivery- Delivery mechanism Eli Lilly and Company 500 mg extended release Chlor-Trimeton Allergy D pseudoephedrine and 120 mg/8 mg Every 12 hours Antihistamine/ Indication for use Schering-Plough Corp.** 12 Hour chlorpheniramine decongestant Dosing schedule Every 12 hours Cipro IV ciprofloxacin 200 mg/20 mL Varies Intravenous Route of administration Bayer Healthcare (10 mg/mL) 400 mg/40 mL (10 mg/mL) Cipro XR ciprofloxacin 500 mg Once daily Extended Release Modified-dosage Bayer Healthcare 1000 mg formulation Clarinex-D 12 hour desloratadine and 2.5 mg/120 mg Twice daily Decongestant Indication for use Schering-Plough Corp.** pseudoephedrine Dosing schedule Clarinex-D 24 hour desloratadine and 5 mg/240 mg Once daily Decongestant Indication for use Schering-Plough Corp.** pseudoephedrine Dosing schedule Claritin-D 12 hour loratadine and 5 mg/120 mg Every 12 hours Antihistamine/ Indication for use Schering-Plough Corp.** pseudoephedrine sulfate decongestant Dosing schedule Every 12 hours Claritin-D 24 hour loratadine and 10 mg/240 mg Once daily Antihistamine/ Indication for use Schering-Plough Corp.** pseudoephedrine sulfate decongestant Dosing schedule Every 24 hours Cleocin HCL clindamycin hydrochloride 75 mg Every six hours Hydrochloride Other (Hydrochloride salt Pfizer US Pharmaceutical 150 mg form) Group 300 mg Cleocin Pediatric clindamycin palmitate 75 mg/5 mL solution 8-25 mg/kg/day divided Pediatric Patient population Pfizer US Pharmaceutical hydrochloride into 3 or 4 equal doses Group Cleocin Phosphate clindamycin phosphate 600 mg/50 mL Dosage strength and Phosphate Other (Phosphate salt Pfizer US Pharmaceutical 0 1 0 900 mg/100 mL frequency varies form) Group 2 P depending on patient age M S I and indication © * Wyeth is now part of Pfizer. ** Schering-Plough is now part of Merck & CO. 2 Institute for Safe Medication Practices ISMP’s List of Products with Drug Name Suffixes Proprietary Name Generic Name Available Strengths Labeled Dosing Labeled Meaning of Product Manufacturer Frequency Suffixa Characteristicb Cleocin T clindamycin phosphate 10 mg/mL for solution Twice daily Topical Route of administration Pfizer US Pharmaceutical and lotion Group 10 mg/g for gel Cleocin Vaginal Ovules clindamycin phosphate 100 mg/2.5 g suppository One per day at bedtime Vaginal suppositories Delivery mechanism Pfizer US Pharmaceutical for 3 days Group Climara Pro estradiol and 0.045 mg/0.015 mg Once weekly patch Progestin Other (Contains Berlex Laboratories, Inc. levonorgestrel progestin) Coreg CR carvedilol phosphate 10 mg Once daily Controlled release Modified-dosage GlaxoSmithKline 20 mg formulation 40 mg 80 mg Coricidin HBP Cough & dextromethorphan and 30 mg/4 mg Every 6 hours For people with high Other (Decongestant Schering-Plough Corp.** Cold chlorpheniramine blood pressure free) Indication for use Covera HS verapamil hydrochloride 180 mg Once daily (at bedtime) Extended