“This problem requires diligence on the part of the pharmacist and being proactive on the part of [the caregiver],” says Mary Kremzner, PharmD, deputy director of the division of drug information at the Food and Drug Administration. “There’s always an imprint on the pill,” she explains, “and you can always verify this imprint with an outside source.” The Internet and up-to-date copies of The PDR Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs or The Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs are good starting-point references. “Or,” says Dr. Kremzner, “you can call the FDA.”

Being proactive has never been more important because, she adds, “there are so many generics now. A pill may appear different, but it’s only a different manufacturer with the same medicine. People are just not alerted. Don’t ever feel funny about calling a manufacturer or asking your pharmacist.”

Such mistakes, says Dr. Kremzner, “are unintentional—pharmacists feel sick when they’ve made a mistake. This is about establishing a relationship with your pharmacist and checking through sources to make sure [the medication] is what it is.”