COMMENTARY | A CVS pharmacy in Chatham, New Jersey, accidentally switched chewable children's fluoride tablets with the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is used to treat estrogen-positive breast cancer and it is not meant for children. The New Jersey State Attorney General's Office is looking into how this happened. A report by the New York Daily News states that CVS must respond to the Attorney General's inquiry by March 7.
The Chatham Courier reports that 50 prescriptions were accidentally switched between Dec. 20, 2011 and Feb. 20, 2012. Although the Tamoxifen tablets and the fluoride tablets are white and the same size, coding on the tablets should have prevented this mix-up. Tamoxifen is stamped with the letter "M" on one side of the tablet and the number 247 on the reverse side. The fluoride tablets are stamped with the letters "SCI" on one side and the number 1007 on the reverse. Any person looking at the tablets should have noticed the mistake while filling the prescriptions. All concerns about the mix-up should be directed to CVS corporate headquarters at 1-800-746-7287.
Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen was approved by the FDA to treat estrogen-positive breast cancer; it is not prescribed for children. The normal course of treatment for is five years. Serious side effects include pulmonary embolism and uterine cancer. I will be taking Tamoxifen for five years following the completion of chemotherapy. CVS states that all prescriptions for Tamoxifen were filled correctly.
Fluoride
The fluoride tablets involved in the mix-up are flavored chewable tablets. They are usually prescribed for children ages six to nine to help prevent tooth decay. It is common for pediatricians to prescribe fluoride in areas where the tap water is not fluoridated, but there is controversy over the use of fluoride supplements. Dr. Jeremy E. Kaslow, MD FACP FACAAI, states that too much fluoride can be toxic. My oldest child took fluoride supplements and she had very few dental problems with no adverse reactions.
Kids and breast cancer drugs
As a parent, I find the mix-up of a breast cancer-fighting drug and chewable children's tablets inexcusable. Pharmaceutical mistakes can have disastrous consequences. Fortunately, there are no instances reported where children have ingested the incorrectly dispensed Tamoxifen. Parents in the Chatham, New Jersey area who have had prescriptions for fluoride supplements filled at CVS should check the tablets to prevent giving children Tamoxifen.
Lynda Altman is currently receiving treatment for a type of breast cancer called invasive ductal carcinoma. She writes a series for Yahoo! Shine called "My Battle with Breast Cancer."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cvs-mix-childrens-fluoride-tablets-cancer-drug-inexcusable-171900124.html
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