A young pregnant woman was accidentally given a known abortion drug by a Safeway pharmacy in Fort Lupton, Colo.
Mareena Silva took Methotrexate—a drug used to treat cancer and terminate early pregnancies—thinking it was her prescribed antibiotic.
Silva, who is only six weeks pregnant, took the drug and felt ill. She immediately checked the bottle and realized it was not her prescription. On the advice of the Safeway pharmacist, Silva vomited the pill and went to the hospital.
This medication can cause miscarriages—and in the possibility that it doesn’t, can cause birth defects.
Silva and her family do not know anything as of yet. “We will just have to wait and see,” her mother, Lynn Chavez, told Fox 31 News.
"For all this to happen now, it's really overwhelming to know that I have to come home and sit and wait," Silva said.
The mistake likely happened because the Methotrexate was prescribed to someone with a similar name as Silva.
Safeway’s spokeswoman, Kris Staaf, was reported as saying that Safeway’s policy is to ask and listen to the patient’s full name and date of birth. They are then informed to repeat the information before the transaction is completed.
Staaf also claimed that Safeway will double their efforts to make sure policies such as these are performed by all personnel.
The Colorado Board of Pharmacy is investigating the incident, and Safeway has offered to pay for Silva's medical expenses that result from the prescription error.
"Sorry is not going to cut it. I'm going to have to deal with this a long time," Silva said after Safeway apologized.
The family has not talked to Safeway, but for now, the company is the least of their worries.
"I am just trying to make sure my daughter is going to be okay," Chavez said.
-Story by Dani Keinz
