Wrong Medication Case Raises Safety Concerns In Canada

A serious medication error involving Shoppers Drug Mart has raised fresh concerns about patient safety and oversight in Canada’s healthcare system after a woman was hospitalized months after receiving the wrong prescription.

Marissa Dawson, a 35-year-old mother from Moncton, was prescribed an antihistamine to treat chronic eczema. However, instead of receiving the intended medication, she was mistakenly given a different drug used to treat high blood pressure. Unaware of the mix-up, Dawson took the medication for months, experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, breathing difficulties, and extreme fatigue.

Her condition worsened over time, eventually leading to an emergency room visit, where medical staff identified the error. The discovery left Dawson shocked and concerned about how such a mistake could go unnoticed for so long. She later questioned what could have happened if a child had taken the wrong medication.

An investigation by the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists found that the error was likely caused by confusion between similarly named drugs and staff fatigue. It also identified a critical lapse in procedure — the absence of pharmacist counselling at the time the prescription was dispensed. This step is considered an important safety measure that can help catch errors before patients leave the pharmacy.

The pharmacy acknowledged the mistake and introduced corrective actions, including staff training, clearer procedures, and reminders about commonly confused drug names. It also reinforced the requirement for counselling during prescription pickups, especially for new medications.

According to industry data, Canada dispenses more than 800 million prescriptions annually, but the full scale of medication errors remains unclear due to inconsistent reporting across provinces. National databases only capture a portion of incidents, suggesting the actual number could be significantly higher.

Experts say such incidents highlight systemic issues rather than isolated mistakes. Increasing workloads, complex healthcare systems, and multiple points of care have made it harder to maintain consistent safety standards. Researchers emphasize the need for stronger systems, better tracking of errors, and improved communication between healthcare providers.

Advocates are calling for reforms, including clearer drug labelling, better use of technology, and mandatory reporting of errors and near-misses. Some provinces are also working on policies to address pharmacist fatigue and improve working conditions.

The case serves as a reminder of the importance of safety checks in healthcare. Patients are advised to confirm their medications at the time of pickup and seek counselling when receiving new prescriptions to reduce the risk of similar incidents.