Thai Health ministry to investigate 'medicine mix-up'

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MEDICINE
Health ministry to investigate 'medicine mix-up'
The Nation

Pradith says 100 tablets put in wrong packages, but no reports of patients affected

BANGKOK: -- The Public Health Ministry will set up a panel to probe an alleged mistake that led to two medicines being put in the wrong packages and distributed to hospitals nationwide.

Minister Pradith Sinthawanarong received a report that the Govern-ment Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) had put the two wrongly packaged medicines and distributed them to at least seven hospitals across the country.

The medicines were Isosorbide dinitrate, used to prevent chest pain caused by coronary artery disease; and Amlodipine for high blood pressure treatment.

Two hospitals are reported to have already prescribed medicines from the packages to patients. The lot number of the packages was "F561217 and has been distributed to hospitals nationwide since July.

"We found that only 100 tablets were put into the wrong packages. Moreover, there were no reports about abnormalities that had taken place with patients," he said.

Pradith said he had asked the GPO to recall all packages of the two medicines from the hospitals, but an investigation was needed to find the facts behind the mistake.

He will appoint health experts and representatives from the GPO Labour Union as members of a fact-finding committee over this alleged mistake. Pradith accepted that the incident had affected the credibility of the GPO and its products. The GPO needed to boost public confidence toward its procedures and conduct the investigation into the alleged mistake with transparency.

Teerachai Kongiamtrakul, a director of Kanchanaburi's Makarak Hospital, said he had ordered the hospital's medical staff to stop prescribing the medicine from the packages to patients.

Previously, the hospital allegedly prescribed the medicines to 939 patients, most of who were elderly. Now over 20,000 tablets of these medicines had been recalled from the patients. "I ordered my staff to call all patients who received the packages and asked them to stop taking these drugs. It was suggested they get fresh medicine from the hospital," he said.

The GPO will today hold a press conference to give details about the alleged mistake in the packing these two medicines.


-- The Nation 2013-09-09

[noitom]

A medicine "mixup." but naturally in Thailand no patients were affected.

[Dr Robert]

reported side effects of Isosorbide dinitrate

"Organic nitrates may induce a sudden drop in systemic blood pressure and enhanced vagal tone, resulting in possible inhibition of reflex tachycardia and syncope.Cardiovascular side effects include flushing, hypotension, diaphoresis, weakness, sinus bradycardia, and unusual case reports of AV heart block. Unusual cases of edema have also been reported

Nitrates, after conversion to nitrites, may accelerate the oxidation of hemoglobin, resulting in abnormally high plasma concentrations of methemoglobin. While most cases of methemoglobinemia are asymptomatic, methemoglobin levels greater than 60% usually induce symptoms (dyspnea, chest pain), particularly in the presence of underlying coronary artery disease.Renal side effects of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) are described in nonazotemic patients with liver cirrhosis. ISDN can cause a reduction of glomerular filtration rate and free water clearance associated with significant increases in plasma renin and aldosterone in patients with liver cirrhosis"

source:the advice packaged with every dispensary

Now I wouldnt want to have that drug accidently administered, especially as is stated in the article for elderly persons (most of whom are potentially suffering the multiple chronic illnesses that accompany advanced age)

How many died?

[harrry]

I went into rapid check mode of both my and my mother in laws medicine after this. We both use it. Both of ours were right but she told us that the hospital clinic had told her last time about this and all of theirs had been sent back. That was about 3 weeks ago.

[sawadee1947]

...trains derailed, planes almost crashed, and medicines were mixed up.....that is THAINESS. Don't trust anybody in this country if you want to survive.

[Thai at Heart]

Medikun hub!!!!!!

[jaltsc]

"Pradith says 100 tablets put in wrong packages, but no reports of patients affected"

Dead men tell no tales, and Thai officials tell fewer tales .

[Pattaya28]

Very surprised this wasn't an "under-the-carpet" jobbie.

How serious do these errors get I wonder.

Who packages these medicines I wonder.

Is there any way to identify that the wrong medicine is in the wrong package I wonder.

How do we know what we are prescribed is what we get I wonder.

Couldn't make this stuff up !!

[noitom]

I went into rapid check mode of both my and my mother in laws medicine after this. We both use it. Both of ours were right but she told us that the hospital clinic had told her last time about this and all of theirs had been sent back. That was about 3 weeks ago.

And as in a typical Thai lack of communication or understanding of relevance, you weren't advised by your mother in law or the hospital (she) three weeks ago. Instead you needed to discover it in the news story much more recently.

[Pimay1]

I went into rapid check mode of both my and my mother in laws medicine after this. We both use it. Both of ours were right but she told us that the hospital clinic had told her last time about this and all of theirs had been sent back. That was about 3 weeks ago.

And as in a typical Thai lack of communication or understanding of relevance, you weren't advised by your mother in law or the hospital (she) three weeks ago. Instead you needed to discover it in the news story much more recently.

I found out a long time ago that we are told things by our Thai mates and friends only on a need to know basis and that is rare.