Drug Errors May Harm Kids with Cancer in the Outpatient Setting
Medication Use in paediatrics is particularly prone to error.
Over 5 years a study group reviewed medical records and checked prescription doses (predominantly leukemia): The rate of any kind of medication error was 70 per 100 patients. 36 of 100 children experienced a near miss medication error. Medication Errors did cause injury in four per 100.
Chemotherapy was less often involved in medication error than concomitant medication. More than half of all errors occurred during administration.
Pharmacists call for greater attention to and communication about error prevention strategies given the trend toward cancer treatment in the outpatient setting.
Parents need SUPPORT!
Dr. Doris Haider, ESOP
Walsh KE, et al. “Medication Errors in the Home: A Multisite Study of Children With Cancer” Pediatrics 2013;131
Landrigan CP. “New Questions on the Road to Safer Health Care” Pediatrics 2013;131
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