The FINANCIAL — The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a medicines recall alert due to a packaging error where the foil blister inside the carton incorrectly states ‘Aspirin 300mg Dispersible Tablets’ instead of ‘Paracetamol 500mg Tablets’. The Boots Company PLC and the supplier, Aspar Pharmaceuticals Limited, have confirmed that the tablets in the blister packs are Paracetamol 500mg and not aspirin, and are conducting a full investigation into the issue.
Members of the public, including carers, should check if their pack has the batch number 241005, which can be found on the bottom of the box. If affected, they should stop using the product immediately and return it to a Boots store for a full refund, with or without receipt.
Boots Paracetamol 500mg packs, with the batch number 241005, should not be kept at home, even if the error is known, as this could lead to confusion and an incorrect dose being taken. Anyone who has purchased this product for someone else should inform them as soon as possible.
Patient safety is always our priority. It is vitally important that you check the packaging of your Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets 16s, and if the batch number is 241005, you should stop using the product and return it to a Boots store for a full refund, Dr Stephanie Millican, MHRA Deputy Director Benefit Risk Evaluation, said.
If you are unsure which pack you have purchased or have taken Boots Paracetamol 500mg Tablets and experienced any side effects, seek advice from a healthcare professional. Please report any suspected adverse reactions via the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
If you have any questions or require further advice, please seek advice from your pharmacist or other relevant healthcare professional.
Advice for Members of the Public:
Stop using the impacted batch immediately and return this to Boots stores where a full refund will be provided with or without a receipt.
Aspar Pharmaceuticals Limited and The Boots Company PLC have confirmed that the tablets in the blister packs are Paracetamol 500mg and not aspirin. If you have taken tablets from this batch and have any additional questions, please seek advice from your pharmacist or other relevant healthcare professional.
Patients who experience any suspected adverse reactions or have any questions about the medication should seek medical attention. Any suspected adverse reactions should also be reported via the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme.
How many yearly deaths result from medication errors in the UK?
In the United Kingdom, medication errors contribute to a concerning number of deaths each year. However, it is challenging to determine the exact number. There are an estimated 237 million medication-related problems annually. Among these problems, 5-8% (or 11.85 million cases) are harmful, resulting in significant patient harm or even death. Studies estimate that medication errors lead or contribute to between 1,700 and 22,300 wrongful deaths every year.
Although this number is significant, most medication errors occur within hospitals (medication administration), not at a hospital or community pharmacy. Pharmacy-related deaths might comprise less than ¼ of the total medication-related deaths.
Why are medication errors the leading cause of death?
Medication errors have gained the notorious reputation of being the leading cause of medical negligence-related death due to their widespread occurrence and potential for severe harm. Each day, a vast number of medications are dispensed and administered in the UK. Roughly 2.7 million items are dispensed from pharmacies daily, and as many as 89,640 are mistakes.
The sheer volume of daily medication prescription collections is why these high numbers of adverse drug events occur. However, factors such as illegible prescriptions, inadequate communication between healthcare professionals, and system failures contribute to a heightened incidence of medication errors.
UK pharmacies play a crucial role in medication dispensing; unfortunately, errors can occur within this system. The rate of dispensing errors from UK pharmacies is estimated to be approximately 1-3%. Furthermore, hospitals, as another key healthcare setting, are not immune to medication errors. Drug administration errors in hospitals vary, but studies have reported rates ranging from 3-8%. These figures highlight the prevalence of medication errors and their potential to cause harm or even death.
How can a pharmacy dispensing error result in death?
A pharmacy dispensing error can have severe consequences, potentially leading to severe patient harm or death. A patient receiving the wrong medication, dose or instructions can result in adverse drug events, drug interactions, or an allergic reaction. Moreover, electronic prescriptions and dispensing can leave patients without any medication.
For example, a patient presenting with a chest infection gets an electronic prescription for antibiotics. The medicine never gets delivered, and the patient passes away in the hospital from sepsis.
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