Almost Took the Unsafe Meds Because of Poor Labeling

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Sudafed (the regular kind) is "ok" to take during pregnancy for a short period of time if needed. Sudafed PE is not safe to take during pregnancy.

I went to get my Sudafed and picked it up and took it back to work with me and got ready to take it and something made me look at the box again.

There, under the price tag label was the "PE". YIKES!

Why would Pfizer make their boxes so damn similar on two totally different drugs? I am not a stupid person but being all muddle headed and stuffy-sick, I simply grabbed the wrong stuff and would have taken it.

This is what I mean.

Safe during pregnancy

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e295/khuren/sudafedsafe.jpg

Not safe during pregnancy

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e295/khuren/sudafednonsafe.jpg

Now, put a price tag on the PE and you'll see how it could be mistaken, right?

So frustrating....

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I mean, here is a picture of all their products....

The only two that look the same are these! All the other ones are different colors.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e295/khuren/products_productshot.jpg

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You can grab Sudafed where you live? It's all behind the counter here.

Anyway, good point about label reading. Glad you caught it.

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Yeah, they let you take the 10mg stuff yourself. The 30mg stuff you have to get behind the counter.

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I am glad you noticed it was the wrong medication before you took it but it is your responsibility to make sure what you buy to eat or drink won't harm your baby.

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TTH wrote:

I am glad you noticed it was the wrong medication before you took it but it is your responsibility to make sure what you buy to eat or drink won't harm your baby.

Yeah it is, but shouldn't they make it a little more noticable?

Sick, stuffy headed people buy this stuff. And why just these particular boxes? Why are the rest of their products so different?

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Bella Dea wrote:

Yeah it is, but shouldn't they make it a little more noticable?Sick, stuffy headed people buy this stuff. And why just these particular boxes? Why are the rest of their products so different?

Should they? They could. Why don't they? I don't know. Maybe you should contact the company and ask them or suggest they change the coloring of the box.

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I agree with you about the box colors, Bella, and am especially concerned about the price tag thing. I would alert the pharmacist, and probably the company.

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TTH wrote:

Bella Dea wrote:
Yeah it is, but shouldn't they make it a little more noticable?Sick, stuffy headed people buy this stuff. And why just these particular boxes? Why are the rest of their products so different?

Should they? They could. Why don't they? I don't know. Maybe you should contact the company and ask them or suggest they change the coloring of the box.

I intend on taking the meds back.
The price tag was directly over the PE making it really hard to tell.

I have good vision but what about elderly people who might not have such great vision?

I think this is an accident waiting to happen. True, for most people in most circumstances, taking one over the other wouldn't be an issue.

But it's the principle of it!

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I agree, Osso. That was too close for comfort!

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In the USA, you could get Sudafed (and Sudafed FE) free over the counter, if there wasn't the "The Combat Methampheta-mine Epidemic Act". Thus, only Sudafed FE is free.

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Bella Dea
I have found that major companies do care what their customers think.
Write them a letter and tell them the problem and give them a suggestion on how to solve it.

It can work. How do I know that? because I have done it. Also, I let the company know I am not writing the letter to get
anything free (at first I would get items for free) I sent the free items back. So, if I write a letter I state please DO NOT send me anything.

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I think I will write them.

It isn't so much about me... I am ridiculously religious about researching and knowing exactly what it is I am taking (pregnant or not pregnant) ever since I had a doctor prescribe me a drug I was allergic to despite him knowing (or should have known) it was in the same class as the allergic drug.

It's more about people like my grandma who trust 100% their doctors and pharmacists to give them the drugs they need. And one mess up there could kill her. If she has a cold, should she have to worry about whether or not she took the safe stuff? Beacause with medications, you know interactions can be deadly.

I think you see my point.

And like you suggested, I intend on letting someone know about this. I don't want anything free...I just want people to be safe.

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Bella Dea
Some of the major companies don't always realize there is a problem unless someone tells them. I am glad you are going to take an
active role and let them know. I often write companies when I see a problem. Most of the time they are very receptive. I don't do
it for me either, I do it for other people like the elderly.

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ossobuco wrote:

I agree with you about the box colors, Bella, and am especially concerned about the price tag thing. I would alert the pharmacist, and probably the company.

Last year, there was a report in the March/April issue of 'Safe Medicine about that.

Almost Took the Unsafe Meds Because of Poor Labeling

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