Monday, August 29, 2005
A drug store dispensed Diazepam (Valium) instead of Ditropan to a 5-year old girl
"Kayla had two doses of liquid Valium.
'She got very hyper, she kept laughing and laughing,' Ferranti said.
After another dose, Kayla started to complain that she felt dizzy and her stomach hurt.
'I couldn't stop being silly,' she said.
CVS attributed the confusion to the similar spelling of the drug names. The child was given Diazepam, the wrong drug, a liquid Valium. The doctor prescribed Ditropan.
By all accounts, the doctor's prescription was clearly written. When he leaned of the error, the Ferranti's doctor called CVS."
"Kayla had two doses of liquid Valium.
'She got very hyper, she kept laughing and laughing,' Ferranti said.
After another dose, Kayla started to complain that she felt dizzy and her stomach hurt.
'I couldn't stop being silly,' she said.
CVS attributed the confusion to the similar spelling of the drug names. The child was given Diazepam, the wrong drug, a liquid Valium. The doctor prescribed Ditropan.
By all accounts, the doctor's prescription was clearly written. When he leaned of the error, the Ferranti's doctor called CVS."
Posted by Kevin |
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Comments:
I never understood why this is a problem in the US more than other countries (maybe it isn't; it is just more publicized because of the litigation risk). In Canada drugs sound EVEN MORE alike, ie Prilosec is called Losec, which sounds just like Lasix. I never heard of drug-switching problems when I worked in Canada.
# posted by 
: 8:49 AM
: 8:49 AM
Isn't the pharmacist required to go over the drug, its purpose, and what-not with the customer? I notice not all pharmacists do this (in Canada), but I had thought it was a requirement. If not, it should be, since it might help to catch some of these incidents.
# posted by : 11:25 AM
: 11:25 AM
Our pharmacists always go over new prescriptions with us. But how many people are going to know the difference between drug A and drug B, if the names sound alike, or the pharmacist doesn't say, "This drug is intended to treat these types of problems. Does that sound right?" And I've never heard one do that.
The problem, IMO, is that pharmacy tech's, and some staff who haven't even been certified at that level, do the actual filling of prescriptions. Pharmacists are supposed to check them, but, again, rushed . . . presuming accuracy . . . inattentive . . . and you get mistakes, some of them very serious.
The problem, IMO, is that pharmacy tech's, and some staff who haven't even been certified at that level, do the actual filling of prescriptions. Pharmacists are supposed to check them, but, again, rushed . . . presuming accuracy . . . inattentive . . . and you get mistakes, some of them very serious.
# posted by : 11:52 PM
: 11:52 PM
The Father just said on the news "i'm going to sue CVS till it hurts". His daughter is fine, she has no residual effects from 2 doses. He can't win a dime, can he? He needed something to happen to her, right?
# posted by : 9:15 PM
: 9:15 PM
If he had "emotional distress", he should have just guzzled down some of that Diazepam! Sounds like the valium made her ataxic, though that resolved. Maybe he can ring the register for one day of ataxia.
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# posted by : 8:49 AM
: 8:49 AM
