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| Woman given erectile dysfunction cream for dry eye | Woman given erectile dysfunction cream for dry eye |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A woman has suffered chemical injuries after she was mistakenly prescribed erectile dysfunction cream for a dry eye condition. | A woman has suffered chemical injuries after she was mistakenly prescribed erectile dysfunction cream for a dry eye condition. |
| The woman, from Glasgow, had to be treated at A&E after she was given Vitaros cream instead of the eye lubricant VitA-POS. | The woman, from Glasgow, had to be treated at A&E after she was given Vitaros cream instead of the eye lubricant VitA-POS. |
| Her experience is detailed in December's BMJ Case Reports journal. | Her experience is detailed in December's BMJ Case Reports journal. |
| The report calls for doctors to use block capitals in handwritten prescriptions to avoid errors. | The report calls for doctors to use block capitals in handwritten prescriptions to avoid errors. |
| The woman was given a handwritten prescription for VitA-POS, a liquid paraffin lubrication, for treatment of severe dry eyes and corneal erosions. | The woman was given a handwritten prescription for VitA-POS, a liquid paraffin lubrication, for treatment of severe dry eyes and corneal erosions. |
| The mix-up happened between her GP and pharmacist, where she was issued with Vitaros, an erectile dysfunction cream. | The mix-up happened between her GP and pharmacist, where she was issued with Vitaros, an erectile dysfunction cream. |
| After using it she suffered eye pain, blurred vision, redness and swollen eyelid. | After using it she suffered eye pain, blurred vision, redness and swollen eyelid. |
| The mild chemical injury to her eye was treated in hospital with topical antibiotics, steroids and lubricants, which cleared it up in a few days. | The mild chemical injury to her eye was treated in hospital with topical antibiotics, steroids and lubricants, which cleared it up in a few days. |
| Prescription errors | Prescription errors |
| Dr Magdalena Edington, from Glasgow's Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, wrote the report for the December edition of BMJ Case Reports. | Dr Magdalena Edington, from Glasgow's Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, wrote the report for the December edition of BMJ Case Reports. |
| In it, she said: "Prescribing errors are common, and medications with similar names and packaging increase risk. | In it, she said: "Prescribing errors are common, and medications with similar names and packaging increase risk. |
| "However, it is unusual in this case that no individual, including the patient, general practitioner or dispensing pharmacist, questioned erectile dysfunction cream being prescribed to a female patient, with ocular application instructions. | "However, it is unusual in this case that no individual, including the patient, general practitioner or dispensing pharmacist, questioned erectile dysfunction cream being prescribed to a female patient, with ocular application instructions. |
| "We believe this to be an important issue to report, to enhance awareness and promote safe prescribing skills." | "We believe this to be an important issue to report, to enhance awareness and promote safe prescribing skills." |
| She wants to raise awareness that medications with similar spellings exist and encourage prescribers "to ensure that handwritten prescriptions are printed in block capital letters (including the hyphen with VitA-POS) to avoid similar scenarios in the future". | She wants to raise awareness that medications with similar spellings exist and encourage prescribers "to ensure that handwritten prescriptions are printed in block capital letters (including the hyphen with VitA-POS) to avoid similar scenarios in the future". |
| Data released last year suggested GPs, pharmacists, hospitals and care homes may be making 237 million prescription errors a year - the equivalent of one mistake for every five drugs issued. | Data released last year suggested GPs, pharmacists, hospitals and care homes may be making 237 million prescription errors a year - the equivalent of one mistake for every five drugs issued. |
| The errors include wrong medications being given, incorrect doses dispensed and delays in medication being administered. | The errors include wrong medications being given, incorrect doses dispensed and delays in medication being administered. |
| The study said most caused no problems, but in more than a quarter of cases the mistakes could have caused harm. | The study said most caused no problems, but in more than a quarter of cases the mistakes could have caused harm. |
| Have you received the wrong medication or been given the incorrect dose? Tell us about your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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