Northern Ontario mom calls for change at pharmacies after prescription error
On Feb. 12, Natalie Desroches sent her husband to Shoppers Drug Mart at Highway 655 in Timmins to pick up their son's ADHD medication.
He was about to give a pill to the nine-year-old boy when he noticed that something wasn't right.
“My son’s label was on the bag (but) the bottle itself in question was for another person," said Desroches, a resident of South Porcupine.
"Prescription was 30 milligrams of codeine and had we not paid attention or just put it in the cupboard like we always do and told him 'go take your pill,' what could have happened then?" said Desroches.
She called the drugstore to report the error and she said the pharmacist assured her that her son's prescription was double-checked.
Desroches said the pharmacist then delivered the medication to the house and picked up the codeine that was prescribed to someone else.
“And then she apologized -- but it wasn’t an apology that was sincere," said Desroches.
"I think they need to re-evaluate how they fill prescriptions.”
CTV News requested an interview with the local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy, but the manager referred us to Loblaw public relations.
In an email, Dave Bauer, Loblaw spokesman wrote:
"Patient well-being is the reason pharmacists come to work every day. They care, and they always strive to deliver a trusted, compassionate, and high-quality experience. This is a rare circumstance. We deeply regret errors like this and we are urgently investigating. We encourage patients to open their prescription bag when they receive it at the store, and to always follow up with their pharmacist if they have questions or concerns."
CTV News also asked about a similar incident at Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy on Elm Street in Sudbury when a woman requested her arthritis pills.
“It turned out it was medication for heart issues or heart attacks,” said Megan-Rose Brunet of Sudbury.
“So then I called them to let them know I had received the wrong medication and they told me to dispose of it and they told me they would refill my prescription with proper medication." The Loblaw spokesperson did not have an answer for that situation, nor could he tell us how many times prescription mistakes occur.
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Desroches said she is grateful no harm came to her son and now always checks to ensure she has the correct medication.
She also said she plans to change pharmacies.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario to ban use of cellphones in school classrooms starting in September
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
BREAKING Quebec to invest $603 million to protect the French language
Quebec will invest $603 million over five years to counter the decline of French in the province, French Language Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced Sunday.
'Do not consume': Gift Chocolate recalled due to undeclared milk, soy
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Murder charge laid after man falls to death from Toronto apartment balcony
One person has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who fell from a balcony following an altercation inside a Toronto apartment building.
Dozens in Italy give a fascist salute on the anniversary of Mussolini's execution
Dozens of people raised their arms in the fascist salute and shouted a fascist chant during ceremonies Sunday to honor Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on the 79th anniversary of his execution.
Zendaya tennis movie ‘Challengers’ scores at weekend box office
Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
Nicole Kidman, who 'makes movies better,' gets AFI Life Achievement Award
Morgan Freeman spoke the words, but pretty much everyone who took the stage at the presentation of the AFI Life Achievement Award agreed: "Nicole Kidman. She makes movies better."