Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A nine-month-old baby who underwent a heart transplant has died in a Madrid hospital after allegedly being given 10 times the amount of medicine needed by mistake.

The shocking incident occurred at the Gregorio Maranon Hospital in the Spanish capital Madrid and the tot’s parents have now filed a complaint with the Madrid Investigating Court No. 10 for Homicide by professional imprudence, according to Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

Local media report the baby, who has been identified in reports as N. N., underwent a heart transplant in November 2018 after being born with heart problems. The baby needed 100 milligrammes of mycophenolate, an immunosuppressant used with transplant patients.

However, local media report during the recovery process the baby was allegedly given 1 gram of the drug on 4th February, 10 times the dose required. As a result of the alleged overdose, which the baby’s parents’ lawyers claim is admitted on several occasions in the child’s medical history, the tot reportedly began suffering from intestinal necrosis and died on 19th February.

Local media report doctors had tried to reverse the effects of the overdose with “activated carbon and cholestyramine” among other techniques, but to no effect.

The court is investigating whether a doctor incorrectly prescribed the dose or whether it was incorrectly administered by a nurse.

The patient advocate association El Defensor del Paciente (Defender of the Patient) regretted that the hospital “had not offered an explanation to the parents and, fundamentally, had not provided psychological help to help them overcome their grief.”

The Gregorio Maranon hospital and the management of the Community of Madrid Health Service have not commented on the situation but have stated they will fully collaborate with investigators. The case is ongoing.

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