FDA MedWatch:Tamiflu (oseltamivir) for Oral Suspension: Potential Medication Errors

Audience: Pharmacists, pediatrics healthcare professionals

FDA issued a Public Health Alert to notify prescribers and pharmacists about potential dosing errors with Tamiflu (oseltamivir) for Oral Suspension. U.S. health care providers usually write prescriptions for liquid medicines in milliliters (mL) or teaspoons, while Tamiflu is dosed in milligrams (mg). The dosing dispenser packaged with Tamiflu has markings only in 30, 45 and 60 mg. The Agency has received reports of errors where dosing instructions for the patient do not match the dosing dispenser. Health care providers should write doses in mg if the dosing dispenser with the drug is in mg. Pharmacists should ensure that the units of measure on the prescription instructions match the dosing device provided with the drug.

Read the complete MedWatch 2009 Safety summary, including links to the FDA Public Health alert, Dear Healthcare Professional letter [Roche] and Information for Pharmacists [CDC], at: 

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm183714.htm