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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Kent chemist 'error' over methadone in baby medication bag | Kent chemist 'error' over methadone in baby medication bag |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A Kent mum is claiming she was given a bottle of methadone in error by a pharmacy in a bag of medicine for her five-month-old baby. | |
| Adele Ridgway, 25, visited Cairn's Pharmacy in Dover on Thursday to pick up her son's reflux medication. | Adele Ridgway, 25, visited Cairn's Pharmacy in Dover on Thursday to pick up her son's reflux medication. |
| When she was home and about to administer the medicine, she found a second bottle in the bag. | |
| The pharmacy said its "initial assessment" was that the container was empty so presented no health risk. | The pharmacy said its "initial assessment" was that the container was empty so presented no health risk. |
| But the mother-of-two claimed the bottle did contain a liquid that she poured away to protect her children. | But the mother-of-two claimed the bottle did contain a liquid that she poured away to protect her children. |
| She said she purposefully kept the bottle as evidence of the "mistake". | She said she purposefully kept the bottle as evidence of the "mistake". |
| The label, describing the contents as 70ml of methadone and the dosage required, had someone else's name printed on it. | The label, describing the contents as 70ml of methadone and the dosage required, had someone else's name printed on it. |
| Methadone is a powerful synthetic drug used as a substitute in the treatment of morphine and heroin addiction. | Methadone is a powerful synthetic drug used as a substitute in the treatment of morphine and heroin addiction. |
| 'Label warning' | 'Label warning' |
| Ms Ridgeway shared her experience on Facebook, warning others to check any medication they are given before they take it. | Ms Ridgeway shared her experience on Facebook, warning others to check any medication they are given before they take it. |
| In the post - which has been shared more than 370 times - she said: "My son is five months old! God knows what would have happened if I didn't check the label! So please let this be a warning to check your labels when collecting medication!" | |
| Cairns Pharmacy said it was alerted to the post and had since been investigating the "highly unusual incident". | Cairns Pharmacy said it was alerted to the post and had since been investigating the "highly unusual incident". |
| It said it immediately took action to contact Ms Ridgway "to ascertain whether there was a patient safety risk". | It said it immediately took action to contact Ms Ridgway "to ascertain whether there was a patient safety risk". |
| "Having checked records and stock, and taken statements, our initial assessment is that the container was empty before it left the pharmacy, so presented no health risk," it said. | "Having checked records and stock, and taken statements, our initial assessment is that the container was empty before it left the pharmacy, so presented no health risk," it said. |
| "Nevertheless, we are sorry for any alarm that may have been caused by this highly unusual incident. We cannot comment further at this time." | "Nevertheless, we are sorry for any alarm that may have been caused by this highly unusual incident. We cannot comment further at this time." |