5PSQ-124 The role of the clinical pharmacist in avoiding medication errors in a clinical research onco-haematologic unit

Background and importanceThe complexity in the design and execution of clinical trials has created the need to coordinate a multidisciplinary team in which the pharmacist has a fundamental role to avoid medication errors (ME).ME are especially important in clinical trials since any minimal deviation in the protocol can lead to the patient leaving the study.Aim and objectivesTo analyse the medication errors detected in the clinical trials area of the Clinical Research Onco-Hematologic Pharmacy Unit, in order to identify the points of greatest risk and establish improvement measures.Material and methodsA prospective analysis of medication errors detected during 6 months (January 2021–June 2021) was conducted by pharmacists in the Clinical Research Onco-Hematologic Pharmacy Unit in the course of their activity. At the same time, the errors detected during the validation of the medical prescriptions and during the quality control of the intravenous preparations were analysed.ResultsA total of 250 errors were recorded. Most of the errors detected (n=135; 54%) originated in the prescription process, of which the most frequent were: error in the patient’s weight (31.11%), the prescription of an incorrect dose (26.67%), prescribing the wrong chemotherapy regimen (17.78%), errors in the confirmation of treatment (8.15%), and others (16.29%). In 8 (5.93%) cases, the error reached the patient. None of these caused serious consequences.Regarding the preparation process, 115 (46%) errors were detected. 63.47% were due to errors in the conservation specifications: 57.39% storage temperature specifications and 6.08% related to photoprotection. 21.90% confusions that required a repeat of the preparation and 20% that referred to infusion systems.Conclusion and relevanceMost of the ME that occured in the Clinical Clinical Research Onco-Hematologic Pharmacy Unit are intercepted before they reach the patient. Most of them were generated in the prescription process, mainly due to an error in the patient’s weight.The information obtained in this analysis reinforces the role of the clinical pharmacist in avoiding errors and improving measures to increase patients’ safety.References and/or acknowledgementsConflict of interestNo conflict of interest