customer login
contact us
Search for:
Pharmacy Services
Medical Supplies & Equipment
Respiratory Services
Consulting Services
Billing Services
Doing Business With ICP
History / Who we are
ICP Leadership
Customer Service
Customer Reviews
Career Opportunities
Locations
Contact Us
Privacy Notice
Articles
the Flu I.Q.
Event Calendar
Industry Links
Services & Products
About The Company
News & Resources
Tall Man Letters
Tall man (uppercase) letters are used within a drug name to highlight its primary dissimilarities and help differentiate between other drug names that are similar in appearance. Several studies have shown that highlighting sections of words using tall man lettering can make similar drug names easier to distinguish, and fewer errors are made when tall man letters are used to differentiate products with look-alike names.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), the FDA, The Joint Commission,9 and other safety-conscious organizations such as the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)10 have promoted the use of tall man letters as one means of reducing confusion between similar drug names. From a survey conducted by the ISMP, most respondents appeared to agree. Nearly all of those surveyed (87%) felt that the use of tall man letters by the medical product industry helped to reduce errors in drug selection, and two-thirds (64%) reported that tall man lettering actually prevented them from dispensing or administering the wrong medication.
ICP began using tall man lettering in 2009. Our current list of look-alike drug names with corresponding tall man lettering is below. Taking a bit of extra time when handling these products can have a large impact on patient safety.
Back to Articles
Articles
Drug Allergies
Medication Errors: Significant or Non-significant
Sleep Studies made Easy by ICP, Inc.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
Disposal of Controlled Substances in Long Term Care Facilities
Tall Man Letters
New FDA Drug Safety Communication on Biaxin (clarithromycin)
Frequently Asked Questions Related to LTC Regulatory Guidance Released by CMS
Phishing
Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority Long-Term Care (LTC) newsletter
What is Prediabetes?
Safe Injection Practices in Long Term Care
Understanding Hypoglycemia
Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)
Resident Rights
Oxycodone IR VS Oxycodone ER: Know the Difference
Archive Articles
the Flu I.Q.
Event Calendar
Industry Links
Welcome
ICP’s leadership team is an essential part of our mission.
Learn More