NCPDP White Paper Recommends Consistent Labeling for Prescription Acetaminophen Products to Promote Patient Safety

August 11, 2011 1:06 pm Topics: Over the counter, Patient safety, and Prescriptions

In the interest of patient safety, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) has published a white paper providing recommendations to industry intended to facilitate consistency in labels for both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription products containing acetaminophen. The paper, “NCPDP Recommendations for Improved Prescription Container Labels for Medicines Containing Acetaminophen,” (PDF) calls for harmonization of standards across the industry so that patients can more easily recognize when prescription medications contain the drug, use acetaminophen medications safely, and avoid overdose. Specifically, to create uniformity with practices used in OTC acetaminophen labeling, the document recommends industry adopt the following guidelines for prescription container labels:

1. Use complete spelling of acetaminophen (do not abbreviate)
2. Standardize acetaminophen concomitant use and liver damage warning labels
3. Prioritize the warning label to print within the top three warnings for a medicine

As noted in an NCPDP press release (PDF), the paper also includes recommendations to promote patient “understanding of the prescription container label and calls on pharmacists and physicians to participate in patient education on the appropriate use of acetaminophen.” The white paper was developed by the Acetaminophen Best Practices Task Group, a group established by the NCPDP Work Group Professional Pharmacy Services. The task group was composed of representatives from all facets of the pharmacy industry and regulatory bodies and included NABP staff.