Mil Med. 1990 Mar; 155(3): 133-7.

A comparison of drug products available in Germany and the United States.

Grabenstein JD.

Pharmacy Service, U.S. Army Hospital-Bremerhaven, APO, NY 09069-3369.

Health-care professionals practicing with the U.S. European Command frequently encounter drug products of their host nation. Confusion about the identity or use of these medications can slow emergency treatment or mislead the medical management of patients. This article compares drug products available in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) with those of the United States of America. Differences in nomenclature used for generic drug names are described, as well as prescription practices unique to the FRG, such as unusual drug combinations, additional dosage forms, and divergent labeling practices. Military pharmacies are effective resources for translation of host nation drug products.