Table 4. Top 50 Most Commonly Prescribed Dermatological Medications* and Their Sound- or Look-Alike Counterparts
Dermatological Medications |
Sound- or Look-Alike Medications |
Minocycline |
Doxycycline |
Clobetasol |
Clotrimazole, Halobetasol |
Triamcinolone |
Tretinoin, Tetracaine |
Doxycycline |
Declomycin, Dicloxacillin, Dicyclomine, Doxazosin, Doxepin, Minocycline, Tetracycline |
Clindamycin |
Clarithromycin, Clinoril®, Gentamicin, Vancomycin |
Differin® |
N/I |
Ketoconazole |
Ketoprofen |
Fluocinonide |
Flunisolide, Fluocinolone, Fluorouracil, Fluticasone |
Desonide |
Desitin |
Benzaclin® |
Benzamycin |
Hydroxyzine |
Hydralazine |
Valtrex® |
Cephalexin, Divalproex, Keflex®, Urex®, Valcyte®, Zovirax® |
Tretinoin |
Tenormin®, Triamcinolone |
Tetracycline |
Doxycycline, Terbinafine, Tetracaine, Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate |
Retin-A Micro® |
N/I |
Solodyn® |
N/I |
Aldara® |
Alora® |
Mupirocin |
Bacitracin, Cortisporin®, Miacalcin® |
Doryx® |
N/I |
Sotret® |
N/I |
Desoximetasone |
N/I |
Metrogel® |
Metrogel-Vaginal® |
Tazorac® |
N/I |
Enbrel® |
N/I |
Finacea® |
N/I |
Duac® |
N/I |
Clobex® |
N/I |
Oracea® |
Orencia® |
Benzoyl Peroxide |
Benzocaine |
Metronidazole |
Fluconazole, Mebendazole, Meropenem, Metformin, Methocarbamol, Methotrexate, Methylprednisolone sodium succinate, Metoclopramide, Miconazole, Omeprazole, Potassium chloride |
Hydrocortisone |
Cortisone, Fludrocortisone, Hydralazine, Hydrocodone, Hydrochlorothiazide, Hydroxychloroquine, Prednisone |
Propecia® |
Prevpac®, Propac |
Duac CS® |
N/I |
Taclonex® |
N/I |
Econazole |
N/I |
Protopic® |
Protonix® |
Elidel® |
Elavil®, Elimite®, Emla® |
Derma-Smoothe® |
N/I |
Loprox® |
N/I |
Halobetasol |
Clobetasol |
Terbinafine |
Terbutaline, Tetracycline, Tolbutamine |
Betamethasone |
Beclomethasone, Dexamethasone |
Ziana® |
N/I |
Claravis® |
N/I |
Dovonex® |
N/I |
Fluconazole |
Flucytosine, Fluorouracil, Fluoxetine, Furosemide, Itraconazole, Metronidazole, Phenytoin |
Mometasone |
Fluticasone |
Hydrocortisone Val |
N/I |
Carac® |
Carrasyn |
N/I, none identified.
*List of the top 50 most commonly prescribed dermatological medications in descending order of frequency were obtained from Charles W. Stiefel, Stiefel Laboratories, Inc., personal communication, October 14, 2008.
Sound- or look-alike medications data from Cohen [8], Gremillion and Hogan [35], and U.S. Pharmacopeia [36].