A recent incident in Comox, British Columbia, has raised serious concerns regarding pharmacy safety and prescription accuracy. A 9-year-old boy, Declan, was nearly given a potent opioid instead of his prescribed ADHD medication due to a pharmacy error. Sarah Paquin, Declan's mother, shared the frightening details of this alarming mix-up.
Declan, who has been prescribed dextroamphetamine for his ADHD, was mistakenly given hydromorphone, a powerful opioid. Sarah recounted the chaotic mornings in their household, emphasizing how easily such an error could occur. "If my husband had been distracted with the other two children, or tired from being up with the baby the night before, this could have ended totally differently," she remarked, highlighting the potential dangers of such a mix-up.
Hydromorphone is described as having a potency that is approximately two to eight times greater than that of morphine, making it a highly dangerous substance, especially for a child. Medical professionals warn that accidental ingestion or intentional abuse of hydromorphone can lead to overdose and potentially life-threatening respiratory depression.
Loblaw Companies Ltd., the parent company of the pharmacy involved, acknowledged the mistake in a statement to PEOPLE. They attributed the error to human oversight. Sarah expressed her relief that her husband caught the mistake before Declan could ingest any of the medication. "To do that to a 9-year-old child would have been devastating," she said, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Fortunately, Declan's correct ADHD medication was eventually found in the pharmacy's outgoing box. Despite this resolution, the family has decided not to return to the pharmacy, reflecting their loss of trust in the system. This incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of medication safety and the need for rigorous checks within pharmacy practices to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
