A rose by any other name
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
When Keryx Biopharmaceuticals gained FDA approval for ferric citrate, an iron-based treatment for dialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia last week, it emerged that the FDA had rescinded its original approval of the brand name Zerenex because of its similarity to another product’s name. The identity of the other product was not revealed, but an examination of the latest Orange List reveals a number of possible candidates, including Serevent, Xenazine, Zanaflex and Zorvolex. These names may look very similar in print, but on a hastily written prescription the possibility of confusion cannot be ruled out.