Abstract

The pediatric population is more susceptible to medication errors due to factors such as weight, body surface, immaturity of the enzymatic system to metabolize and excrete drugs, and inability to communicate any sign or negative symptom related to a medication. Currently technological advances confront us with new situations or ethical conflicts, the twenty-first century is considered as the century of biotechnology, stem cells, cloning, gene therapy, new drugs, advances not yet adapted to pediatric clinical practice and valued as a relevant factor causing error. Based on case reports on the use and management of biotech medicines, scientific approach was made to understand in depth the problems faced by the medication system, which directly impacts the patients. The objective of the present work was to document, analyse and evaluate medication errors during the use and management of biotech medicines in the pediatric population treated in a highly specialized hospital from September 2017 to April 2018. Prospective, observational design whose main variable is the medication error including potential errors. The taxonomy of the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention was used. The study was carried out for 24 weeks in the medical specialties of oncology, hematology and immunology, as well as in the respective outpatient areas. Three hundred and fifty follow-ups were selected in the use and management of biotech medicines, found 1085 medication errors. The prevalence of measurement errors is, insufficient monitoring of the medication with 35 %; wrong dose with 19 %, wrong frequency and time of administration, with 14.7 and 8.5 % respectively, for preparation, handling and conditioning is 6.3 % and wrong medication with 6.6 %. The data generated would allow the design and implementation of strategies to strengthen the use and safe management of biotech medicines.