Look-alike, Sound-alike Drugs Review: Include Look-alike Packaging as an Additional Safety Check

The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals for 2005 require organizations to identify and, at a minimum, annually review a list of look-alike, sound-alike drugs and to proactively implement safety strategies to help prevent medication errors involving these drug combinations. Proactive assessment of potential for medication errors should include evaluation of potential look-alike packaging problems in addition to the drug names.