Southeastern Walgreens Makes Dosage Error For Infant Prescription
KLTV-7 out of Tyler-Longview, Texas reported today that a Walgreen pharmacy filled a prescription for the antibiotic Augmentin four times the prescribed dosage for a five-month old baby. When the baby's mother gave her daughter the first dosage, the baby was vomiting and was lethargic. The label on the prescription said that the baby was to get two teaspoons twice a day of the antibiotic. The baby's doctor prescribed 1/2 teaspoon twice a day. When the pharmacist was confronted with the error, his response was that they were really busy the night the prescription was filled and "accidents happen." Unbelievable. While the baby will be okay, it's yet another lesson to the prescription consuming public how vigilant we all must be when it comes to our health.
This story is VERY similar but it's Sacramento, not the southeast - same story?
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Walgreens' Error Leads to Baby's Overdose
Written by George Warren, Reporter
http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=37205
The family of an 8-month-old Sacramento girl followed the instructions on the label of their prescription antibiotic -- and the result was nearly fatal.
Christina Norris was sick the week before Christmas, so her grandmother took the baby to the family's pediatrician.
"She had an ear infection," explained Lisa Gurule, who got a prescription for the antibiotic Augmentin.
The Walgreens pharmacy at 5020 Madison Avenue filled the prescription with the generic amoxicillin, and provided instructions on the label to give the baby a half-teaspoonful twice daily.
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2007/10/26/84527.htm
And another death, this time a coach in Arizona, severe drug interaction danger ignored by Walgreens pharmacist, $6M award. Walgreen's maintains that it was not at fault, and asserts surprise at the verdict. Oct 2007.
Man, they just keep coming. How many people is Walgreens killing per year? That is, how many of these are settled out of court, how many families simply don't realize that their loved one recveived a bad prescription because their loved one was already pretty sick? This is scary! This particular case made it to 20/20, but how many more do not?
http://www.theledger.com/article/20070811/NEWS/708110463/1039
"Hippely went to Walgreens at South Florida Avenue and Shepherd Road to fill a prescription for 1 milligram tablets of the blood thinner warfarin. The pharmacy instead gave her ten milligram tablets of Warfarin. According to a story on ABC's "20/20," the pharmacy technician who filled the prescription was a 19-year-old high school student whose prior job was cleaning a movie theater and serving popcorn.
Hippely took the incorrect dosage of the medication from Sept. 20 through Oct. 13, 2002, when she was rushed to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with severe headaches.
At the hospital, it was discovered that Hippely had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. "
http://www.theledger.com/article/20070811/NEWS/708110463/1039
A roofer, Terry Paul Smith, died of methadone toxicity when a methadone pain prescription from Walgreens carried incorrect dosage instructions: Jacksonville FL. Nov 2007.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2007-11-01-prescription-errors_N.htm
Seems to be that a whole bunch of people are victims of Walgreens and their pitbull legal department: http://www.volconvo.com/forums/society-rights/1864-walgreens-prescription-misfills.html
Go get 'em!!!