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News
Running out of adrenalin
Monday, 22 January 2007
By CANDICE REED
• Howick and Pakuranga Times
STOCKS of an essential drug used in life saving situations have been depleted at Middlemore Hospital.
Ampoules of the Ministry of Health approved adrenalin 1:1000 ran out late last week.
Middlemore is not alone in its predicament which may put patient safety at risk says the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA).
Adrenalin is an essential drug used in emergency situations such as life-threatening allergic reaction and cardiac arrest.
Doctors will be able to use an alternative supply of adrenalin from America, but must gain consent from the patient, as it is not ministry approved says Counties Manukau District Health spokesperson Lauren Young.
“There’s a section under the medical act which allows them to use another product as long as the patient is informed because it’s not a registered medicine,” she says.
The alternative, labelled as epinephrine, may also cause confusion among staff says Dr Boswell.
“In an emergency situation, medical staff may not immediately recognise that the ampoules provided are indeed adrenalin, and treatment may be delayed,” Dr Boswell adds.
“During an emergency doctors want to be helping patients rather than filling in forms.”
The sole supplier of the approved adrenalin injections under contract to Pharmac ran out of the medicine. It is not known when new supplies will be received.
