New Jersey CVS admits pharmacy mistake

A CVS pharmacy has apologizes for accidentally distributing cancer treatment pills to children. The prescriptions were supposed to be fluoride pills, but instead families took home a cancer drug that blocks the estrogen hormone. No injuries have been reported at this time.

Errors at the pharmacy can have serious complications for patients, especially in cases where the drug distributed can be toxic. CVS has said that they are continuing to monitor all 50 families who may have received the wrong prescription. If any injuries are found, CVS could be open to a malpractice suit for negligently filling the prescriptions. New Jersey malpractice victims are eligible for damages for any injury that is caused by a medical professional’s negligence.

A spokesperson for CVS told reporters, “The health and safety of our customers is our highest priority and we are deeply sorry for the mistake that occurred.”

Fortunately, medical experts say that is it unlikely that the children who took the cancer pill will be harmed, since they ingested the medicine for only a short period of time. The fluoride pills that the children expected to receive were chewable and had flavoring. The cancer pills would have been bitter and children would likely have spit them out if they had chewed them.

CVS is the second largest chain of drug stores in the United States. There is no information at this time about whether or not similar mistakes have been made at other CVS locations. The state attorney general’s office has launched an investigation and has ordered CVS to provide some sort of explanation for the mix-up.

Source: MSNBC, “CVS mixed up kids’ pills with cancer drug,” Bruce Shipkowski, March 4, 2012.