What good is a drug label if the user cannot read it? This is the question California is contemplating as it considers requiring prescription drug labels be translated from English into a second language. Pharmacists, however, are concerned that such a requirement puts them at greater liability.

This week the California Board of Pharmacy is convening on new regulations that would mandate translations on every bottle issued by every pharmacy in the state. The proposed measure is similar to a law passed last year in New York that makes labeling easier for non-native English speakers to take their medications properly. Approximately 44 percent of California residents speak a language other than English.

The proposed policy is somewhat controversial, however. Virginia Herold, executive officer for the Board of Pharmacy, said that bilingual labels will be larger and will require larger bottles. But patients generally do not like larger bottles.

“They decant the drug out of the large container, put it in a baggie or someplace else,” Herold said. “Now, the instructions on how to take it have been separated.” By doing so, says Herold, the purpose of bilingual labels is somewhat defeated.

Pharmacists in the state are less than thrilled about the increased liability the new labels will likely create for them.

“If the label is translated into Russian and there’s an error, and I’m a pharmacist that does not speak Russian, I cannot verify that that error exists,” said Brian Warren, a member of the California Pharmacists Association. Warren also said that the cost of malpractice insurance for pharmacists may increase, if the measure is implemented.

“It’s an expense that will ultimately make its way down to consumers, and like all other healthcare costs, will eventually result in higher premiums,” Warren said.

Supporters of the proposed measure contend that the benefits of giving clear communication to drug-takers outweigh the costs.

“There’s a risk right now,” said Sarah de Guia, director of government affairs for the California Pan Ethnic Health Network, an advocacy group. “They can’t understand anything on their label because the label is not in their language.”