In recent news that our pharmacy misfill injury attorneys in Washington, D.C. have been following, a medication error occurred in a local pharmacy, after a pregnant woman in Colorado was mistakenly given the incorrect medication for another patient who had a similar sounding name.
According to KDVR-TV, Mareena Silva, who is six weeks pregnant, went to Safeway to pick up her antibiotics and was mistakenly given the prescription for Maria Silva, containing Methotrexate, a medication reportedly used to treat cancer.
By the time Silva realized the pharmacy misfill, she had already reportedly taken the first pill. Silva reportedly rushed back to Safeway, where the pharmacist recommended that she throw the pill up, as it had been 30 minutes since she took the medication. Her doctor then sent an ambulance to Safeway.
Methotrexate, the drug Silva took due to the prescription mix-up, can reportedly cause birth defects in an unborn baby. The drug is also reportedly used to cause abortions in pregnancies that are troubled. The manufacturer also warns that there have been reported deaths linked to the incorrect administration of this drug.
After picking up what she thought was the antibiotic, the pharmacist reportedly even stated that the prescribed drug was not good for a pregnant woman. What Silva didn’t realize at the time is that the pharmacist was talking about the Methotrexate.
Silva stated that at the pharmacy, she was not asked to verify her address, or date of birth, an important step in the process of preventing pharmacy error, as our attorneys discussed in a related blog. In the final verification of a prescription’s path, the pharmacist should always check the patient’s full name, the number of the prescription, as well as all other patient information stored in the computer with the original prescription, as well as the bar code on the bottle, and a final pill check to ensure that the actual pills in the bottle match the computer picture of the pill. The pharmacist should also do a final check for any possible drug interactions or allergies with other medications to prevent pharmacy error injury.
Silva stated that she is angry and wishes that she would have caught the medication error sooner. Her biggest worry according to KDVR-TV is that her baby won’t survive. Safeway has issued an apology and will reportedly cover Silva’s medical expenses.
Lebowitz and Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers represents victims of pharmacy misfill in the Washington, D.C. area. For a free consultation, contact our attorneys today.
Pharmacist Gives Pregnant Woman Wrong Prescription, KDVR-TV, February 4, 2011
Related Web Resources:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Medication Error Reports
Institute for Safe Medication Practices, (ISMP)