To Reckitt-Benckiser Marketing Department USA:
As a pharmacist who has been practicing for nearly 40 years, I am writing to
thank you for your decision to use milliliters exclusively in your Delsym "Drug
Facts" package directions
(http://www.delsym.com/docs/Adult-12-Hour_Cough_Liquid_Orange_Drug_Facts.pdf ).
You are setting an example for medication safety that I hope will be copied by
other OTC drug makers. I am forwarding my praise of your action to Mr. Michael
Cohen, R.Ph., President, Institute for Safe Medication Practices
(www.ismp.org).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration CDER informs me that there is nothing in
the law that required you to do this. But your action to instruct the consumer
to measure the dose in the metric system only---in particular, your explanation
of the milliliter symbol on the label so that the consumer will learn to
recognize it ("mL = milliliter")---prevents the confusion and the inaccuracy so
often caused by the alongside mention of household measurement units. I sense
that this is especially necessary for a product such as Delsym, which is
highly concentrated.
Was it the high concentration of the product that led you to decide to
eliminate the mention of teaspoonfuls from your packaging? In any case, I
applaud your action as a victory for medication safety. I hope you will
continue to set a manufacturer's voluntary standard for its extension to all
OTC oral liquid medications.
Sincerely,
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
Midland, Texas
[email protected]
+1(432)528-7724
