Ontario hospitals recently released a new report detailing some 36 incidents that occurred last year where medication-related mistakes led to patients suffering severe harm or even death. Among the reported incidents, patients were harmed when given incredible overdoses of narcotic painkillers, received the incorrect drug, or were administered an additional…
Of all of the types of pharmacy and medication errors that are made, some of the most frightening to think about are those that occur with children. One recent study (registration required) focused on errors made with pain medicine, specifically opioid infusions in children. The researchers in the study analyzed…
A recent article in Pharmacy Practice News discussed ways in which updated labeling standards for Heparin Sodium Injection and Heparin Lock Flush Solution may not eradicate the problems associated with overdose completely. One major reason being that some of the older problematic versions of the label remain in pharmacy stocks.…
Massachusetts lawmakers, and specifically the state’s Board of Registration in Pharmacy, have been under increased scrutiny following the deadly meningitis outbreak that occurred last year. Prior to the outbreak, the regulators changed course regarding a decision to shut down a Massachusetts pharmacy whose medication error sent a teenager to the…
A Washington woman narrowly avoided a potentially tragic prescription error, when she picked up her usual prescription for the vitamin B12. The label on both the bag and the container even contained the correct name: Cyanocobalamin. The woman noticed that the color of the actual liquid was different, in addition…
A man who went into a pharmacy in order to get pills to keep him awake throughout the day allegedly ended up suffering serious consequences when he was instead given sleeping pills. The 61 year old man alleges that the mistake caused him to get into minor car accidents, and…
A Rhode Island pharmacist, and former state senator, has had his license revoked from the state earlier this month (registration required), following the accidental administration of morphine to two children who received medicine from the pharmacy where he worked. The Health Director, Michael Fine, ordered the pharmacist’s license to practice…
According to a report released earlier this month by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, more than 800 patient medication errors were reported to the agency over a six-month period. According to the report, errors were most likely to occur during the transcribing and administration phases, and occurred the least often…
With the advent of new electronic means of managing patient health records, there are now additional ways in which prescription errors can take place. For example, PCEHR, the Personally Controlled eHealth Record System, was adopted in June 2012 in Australia.It is a health information database designed for use by patients,…
An essay contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution spurred an entry by a woman left severely disabled by her life threatening pharmacy error injury. A pharmacy error led to the woman accidentally being given a blood thinner, instead of her diabetes medication (subscription required to view). The…