Published April 3, 2023
The labeling of two Enfamil multivitamin products Poly-Vi-Sol Multivitamin Drops and Poly-Vi-Sol Multivitamin & Iron Drops made by Mead Johnson & Company were recently updated. The new boxes look very similar except for the drops without iron state, “Growth & Immune Health” and the drops with iron state, “Brain & Body” (Figure 1). The actual bottles are the same shape and size, the color of the labels and medicines are nearly the same, and the name of each medicine is printed very small (Figure 2). This makes it very easy to select the wrong multivitamin. In fact, ISMP has previously received a report from a parent who accidentally purchased the wrong product and gave their child iron when they didn’t need it.
Here’s what you can do: If you are concerned that your child may need a multivitamin supplement, discuss it with your child’s doctor. If a multivitamin is recommended, ask the doctor which product they recommend. Be sure to ask if your child needs a supplement that contains iron or if they just need a plain multivitamin. Be sure to read the product label. Look at the Drug Facts label on the back panel of the package to see if iron is listed as an ingredient. If you are not sure, ask the pharmacist for help. If you gave your child the incorrect product, contact their doctor.
