A physician might prescribe clonidine, an antihypertensive medication, to treat high blood pressure. The medication is also used to treat children dealing with ADHD. However, a numerical error resulting in an 8-year-old Colorado boy receiving 1,000 times the appropriate dose may have contributed to his death on June 8, 2016.
A physician might prescribe clonidine, an antihypertensive medication, to treat high blood pressure. The medication is also used to treat children dealing with ADHD. However, a numerical error resulting in an 8-year-old Colorado boy receiving 1,000 times the appropriate dose may have contributed to his death on June 8, 2016.
In this instance, the recommended dose for the boy was .03 mg. However, the dosing provided by the pharmacy was 30 mg. The boy took the medication for three years, and he was previously hospitalized because of reactions, which included swelling of the brain, after receiving an excessive dose. The boy reacted again after his release from the hospital. According to a lawyer for the family, the pharmacy involved in dispensing the medication has admitted to erring. The parents refer to the fatal medication error as a sentinel event, a situation resulting in unexpected serous injury or death.
Reports do not indicate whether the family in this incident will be filing legal action against the pharmacy involved in the matter. In a hypothetical case of a medical error, a serious outcome that permanently changes the life of an individual through injury or death could be attributed to medical malpractice. A malpractice claim generally requires that the plaintiff has suffered damage because of an alleged incident. Dosing errors could occur because of a medical professional’s mistake in prescribing or administering a medication. They could also result because of an individual’s misunderstanding or ignoring the dosing information at home.
Before filing a malpractice claim against a medical professional, an individual who has suffered harm because of medical action or inaction might want to review the situation with a lawyer. Medical records can be helpful for pinpointing the role that a facility or individual has played in causing harm.
