'Wrong Dose' Prescription Error Investigated After Baby Sickened
The report featured Central Floridians, John and Sharon Ruddell, who recently had twins.When one of their infant daughters, Leah, contracted a sinus infection, the family filled a doctor's prescription for Histacol DM syrup at a Palm Coast Walgreens store.After Leah took her first dose, the family realized that there was a problem. Leah became non-responsive after taking the medicine, according to her parents.Then, the family said Walgreens discovered the error on its own and called the Ruddells."Two hours later, I get a phone call from the pharmacist at Walgreens and he explained that they misprinted the label," John Ruddell said. "It was supposed to be a quarter milliliter, not a quarter teaspoon."The dose is six times the amount the girl should have been given."It was the scariest time of my life," John Ruddell said. "I didn't know whether my daughter was going to live or die."John Ruddell said he called poison control and was told to get Leah to a hospital immediately."I prayed the whole way there just to keep her alive because she's my baby," Sharon Ruddell said.Hospital records indicate that the baby had overdosed on the medicine, Local 6's Steven Cooper said.Doctors were able to stabilize her and send her home."If she would have had that second dose, she wouldn't have woken up," John Ruddell said.In a letter to the Ruddell family, Walgreens apologized for the incident but would not explain how it happened, Local 6 reported.Two days after the overdose, Walgreens' insurer called to offer the family $2,000.They declined, Cooper reported."Two-thousand dollars for almost killing my baby," Sharon Ruddell said. "It is almost like, don't bother."The Ruddells decided to go public instead, Cooper reported."Don't get me wrong, I could use the money or $2,000," Ruddell said. "But if this will save someone else's life, they can keep their $2,000."In a statement to Local 6, Walgreens admits there was an error and said, "We are addressing these issues with the pharmacist and taking appropriate action to ensure our safety procedures are always followed.""It's not, 'Oops, I mispriced a candy bar,'" Ruddell said. "It's, 'Oops, I'm sorry. I nearly killed your kid' and that is not right.""I'm sure there are many more mistakes like this that happen and maybe we don't hear about them," Sharon Ruddell said.In a recent report filed by USA Today, four fatalities were linked to prescriptions filled at Walgreens since 2006.The fatalities led to multimillion-dollar verdicts against Walgreen's -- $31 million for a misfiled prescription in Illinois, $28.5 million in Polk County and $6 million for a pharmacy error in Arizona.Also, in Jacksonville, a case against Walgreen's has been settled out of court involving the death of Terry Paul Smith. Smith's prescription for methadone was labeled with the wrong dosage instructions, Local 6 reported.Cooper said Walgreens is not alone when it comes to pharmacy problems.Data from the Florida Board of Pharmacy indicates in one given year that there were 617 complaints filed against various pharmacies and 678 against individual pharmacists statewide.In the same year, three pharmacies lost their license as did 13 pharmacists, with hundreds more facing disciplinary actions.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.






A woman who claims George Anthony confided in her about how Caylee Anthony died reveals details of her story to Local 6 News' Tony Pipitone.
A judge on Friday declared Casey Anthony indigent.
Three cars are involved in a crash that killed one and took 29 firefighters to rescue the remaining victims.
The local high school band director who was suspended amid allegations of inappropriate text messages sent to a student resigns.
Tipsters tell Local 6 that Universal Orlando entertained corporate executives at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for a preview party.
The Connell family, of New Hampshire, was videotaping the Sea World killer whale show moments before a trainer was killed.
A basketball player at a boy's high school game in Michigan Wednesday shattered the backboard following a slam dunk in the third quarter.
Dash cam video shows a veteran Indiana police officer releasing a drunken driver.
Check out these 1960s and 1970s rock stars and see how they have aged.
Are some of today's biggest stars too sexy for their hair? We'll let you be the judge by exposing the scalps of some famous bald stars.
Check out these lookers who ran into the law.
We take a look at some well-known public figures who were cheerleaders.