B.C. mom picks up her son’s ADHD medication, is given an opioid instead
A mother on Vancouver Island is issuing a warning to the public to be extra cautious when picking up prescriptions, after a terrifying incident where her son was mistakenly given the potent opioid hydromorphone instead of his regular ADHD medication.
Sarah Paquin, a resident of Comox, B.C., was left shaken by the near miss that could have had devastating consequences for her nine-year-old son, Declan. It was only thanks to her husband’s keen eye that the mistake was caught before any harm was done.
Paquin recounted the harrowing experience, emphasizing how easily a simple error could have turned into a tragedy. She had gone to the local Shoppers Drug Mart to pick up Declan’s prescription, but the staff member failed to check her ID or verify the medication before handing it over. The following day, when her husband went to give Declan his medication, he noticed that the pills looked different from what they should have been. Upon inspecting the bottle, it became clear that the prescription was for hydromorphone, a powerful opioid known to be up to eight times stronger than morphine and typically used for severe pain management, including cancer-related pain.
Hydromorphone carries serious risks, particularly for children, with the potential for fatal overdose. Paquin expressed her relief that the mistake was caught in time, preventing a catastrophic outcome.
Upon reaching out to Loblaws, the company that owns Shoppers Drug Mart, it was revealed that the incident was attributed to “human error” and was deemed unacceptable. The company assured that steps would be taken to prevent such errors in the future, with the employee responsible for the mix-up facing suspension pending an internal investigation.
Despite the pharmacist’s apologies and assurances, Paquin has taken further action by filing a complaint with the College of Pharmacists of B.C. She stressed the importance of accountability and the need for the pharmacy to acknowledge their mistake and take appropriate measures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The College of Pharmacists of B.C. echoed the seriousness of such errors and highlighted the regulations in place to prevent them, including mandatory standards for prescription preparation and consultations to ensure the accuracy and safety of medications. They emphasized the importance of pharmacists confirming the identity of clients and providing clear information about their medications.
In light of the incident, Paquin took to social media to share her story as a cautionary tale, urging others to double-check their prescriptions before taking them. She expressed gratitude that her family had caught the error in time, recognizing that it could have had dire consequences if overlooked.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to medications and the potential risks of human error in the healthcare system. It underscores the need for pharmacies to uphold strict protocols and for patients to advocate for their safety by verifying their prescriptions before consumption.
