Top 5 Ways to Avoid Drug Errors

Medically reviewed by Leigh Ann Anderson, PharmD. Last updated on Nov 24, 2023.

Change is good, but not necessarily at the pharmacy.

Every month millions of Americans pick up their prescription at the pharmacy, only to discover that their pill looks different than the month before. Last month’s round, white pills embossed with “3972V” are now pink, round, and display imprint “Lupin 10”.

Even though most of us realize that the pharmacy has replaced last month’s generic pill with this month’s generic pill (probably due to a cheaper wholesale price), it still leaves us concerned. Pharmacists and doctors are meticulous in prescribing and dispensing the correct medication, but mistakes can happen.

What are the top 5 things you need to know to be sure you are getting the right medication?

1. Generic medication shapes and colors change frequently.

When a drug becomes available as a generic option, the manufacturer can change the color, shape or imprints from the original pill or capsule. To save you money, the pharmacist might automatically switch your medicine to a generic when it becomes available.

In a study published in the respected medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine researchers looked at the medical records of over 11,500 Americans hospitalized for a heart attack.¹ All participants received a generic version of at least one heart medication such as beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II-receptor blockers or statins.

• During the study, 29 percent of patients saw a change in pill color or shape, and those who saw a change were more likely to skip their meds than those who had no change.
• The experts reported that when a heart medication changed in color, patients were 34 percent more likely to stop their medication; if the pill shape changed, the odds of stopping it skyrocketed to 66 percent.
• Although the study cannot prove that the pill changes led to noncompliance, the association seems to be strong.

2. You should NOT stop your medication without advice from your healthcare provider.

Why? Because many medications only last in your system for a short while, and stopping the medications abruptly may worsen your medical condition or cause serious side effects.

It is important you DO NOT STOP taking your pills without a doctor’s okay. In the above study, some patients stopped their heart medications, which can be life-threatening or even fatal.

3. Check your pill bottles BEFORE you leave the pharmacy counter.

Before you leave the pharmacy, open your pill bottle and see if it looks the same.

• If your pills appear to be a different color or shape, the pharmacist may have placed a label on the bottle or attached information alerting you to the change.
• If you prefer, double-check with the pharmacist directly before you leave the pharmacy to be sure you have the correct pills.
• If you prefer to stay with the same manufacturer so that your pill color does not change from month-to-month, ask your pharmacist if this is a possibility.

4. Search for your pill using the Drugs.com Pill Identifier Wizard.

There's a good chance that the Drugs.com Pill Identification Wizard (Pill Finder) can help you match the imprint, size, shape, or color and lead you to a detailed description in our drug database. You can use this tool to identify stray pills you may find, too. Always follow-up with your healthcare provider for any outstanding questions.

How to Use the Pill Identification Wizard to accurately identify your medication.

• Enter the letter or numbers from your pill (see the example in the search box).
• Select the color of the pill from the drop-down menu.
• Select the shape of the pill from the drop-down menu.
• If your pill has no imprint it could be a vitamin, diet, herbal, or energy pill, illicit drug or a foreign drug.
• You can also enter the name of the drug (brand or generic) or the National Drug Code, if you know it.
• Manufacturers have special logos that they often place on pills and you can see many of them here.
• If you do not find a match, call your doctor or pharmacist and ask for help.
• Consider joining the Drugs.com Pill ID Support Group for frequent questions and answers, too.

5. Communicate with your doctor and pharmacist.

Communication is the best way to avoid mistakes or medications errors. Not only do you want to correctly identify the medication, you want to gather other important information about your treatment like:

• What is the brand or generic name?
• What is the medicine used for?
• What is my dose and when do I take it?
• How long should I take the medicine?
• Are there food, disease, or drug interactions with my medicine?
• What common side effects may occur?
• What if I miss a dose?

Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all of the medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, herbal supplements, and vitamins. A drug interaction review should be performed by your healthcare provider each time you start a new drug.

Another reason not to abandon your generic drug comes down to cost. The prices of medications in the U.S. are soaring. Generic medications are one of the most effective ways to save healthcare dollars at the pharmacy.

Not all drugs are available generically, but those that are have exactly the same active ingredients and therapeutic effects as brand name drugs, and can cost 30% to 80% less. The FDA also endorses generic drugs and encourages their use.

Don’t wait until you get to the pharmacy to ask for a lower-cost generic. Let your doctor or other healthcare provider know that you prefer generics before they write your prescription.

See also

• Common Drug Side Effects
• Does grapefruit juice interact with my medications?
• Drug Expiration Dates - Are expired drugs still safe to take?
• Generic vs Brand Drugs: Your FAQs Answered
• How do I remember to take my medications?
• How do I stop my medication safely?
• How to Safely Dispose of Your Old Medications
• Imprint Code FAQs - For Oral Medications
• Injection Types and Sites
• Is it safe to split my pill in half?
• Medical Conversions - How many mL in a teaspoon?
• Top 150 Prescription Abbreviations & Medical Meanings
• Top 9 Ways to Prevent a Deadly Drug Interaction
• What are pharmaceutical salt names?
• What are the risks vs. benefits of medications?
• What is the half-life of a drug?
• What is the placebo effect?

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer