Medication Errors From Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pharmacology
• Public Health Surveillance
• Medication Safety

Background:

• Out-of-hospital medication-related adverse events (AEs) from cough and cold medications (CCMs) pose a significant public health concern.
• Understanding pediatric medication errors involving over-the-counter (OTC) CCMs is crucial for developing targeted prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize pediatric medication errors associated with OTC CCMs.
• To identify preventable factors contributing to these medication errors.

Main Methods:

• A multisource national data surveillance system was utilized.
• An expert panel evaluated CCM AEs specifically related to medication errors in children under 12 years old.

Main Results:

• Over a seven-year period, 10.8% of significant CCM AEs were due to medication errors, with nearly half involving children aged 2 to <6 years.
• The majority of errors (93.2%) involved incorrect dosing, often with liquid formulations administered by caregivers.
• Diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan were the most frequent ingredients involved in medication errors.

Conclusions:

• Medication errors with OTC CCMs are most common in children under 6, primarily due to incorrect liquid dosing.
• Standardizing measuring devices, concentrations, and units, alongside enhanced consumer education, is essential to reduce these errors.
• While serious AEs occurred, no deaths were reported from medication errors in this study.