Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
Mercaptopurine may be confused with methotrexate
Purinethol [DSC] may be confused with propylthiouracil
High alert medication:
This medication is in a class the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) includes among its list of drug classes which have a heightened risk of causing significant patient harm when used in error.
International issues:
Mercaptopurine may be confused with mercaptamine [multiple international markets]
Other safety concerns:
To avoid potentially serious dosage errors, the terms “6-mercaptopurine” or “6-MP” should be avoided; use of these terms has been associated with sixfold overdosages.
Azathioprine is metabolized to mercaptopurine; concurrent use of these commercially-available products has resulted in profound myelosuppression.
