Dosage errors

With the news focused on the Presidential candidates, Iraq and terrorism have become almost synonymous despite the bigger story from just a few weeks ago concerning terrorist suspects being arrested in London. The suspects planned to use liquid explosives while on board trans-Atlantic flights. While these are all certainly major issues, a seemingly non-related story is perhaps of much more interest to those in safety and security career fields. It started with the news of actor Dennis Quaid’s child’s health issues caused by a hospital drug error. As this story unfolds on the back pages, it is becoming apparent that this case may not be as rare as parents would hope. Knowing the reaction of most people, parents may be tempted to skip getting vaccinations for their children for fear the risks of catching a diseased are far less than being harmed by the incorrect dosage being administered. The CDC recommends changes in how vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are administered and this combined with fears of incorrect dosing could lead to an outbreak of measles in the United States. Terrorism remains a concern but the public needs to be reassured of the safety and efficacy of getting their children vaccinated.