B.C. parents’ lawsuits allege negligence after newborn given ’10 times’ dose of medication

The parents of a baby severely and permanently disabled after he was given a dose of a medication that was 10 times stronger than prescribed have filed lawsuits against several health agencies.

The inherited — and rare — genetic disorder, called Argininosuccinic Aciduria, affects a baby’s ability to metabolize proteins, causing high ammonia levels in the blood, according to the court documents.

Xandros’ ammonia levels were high when he arrived in hospital and he received treatment that included the drugs Ammonul and sodium phenylbutyrate. He responded well and doctors expected him to be discharged on Aug. 17, 2022.

But on Aug. 16, according to the court filings, the medication was switched to sodium benzoate from sodium phenylbutyrate and the dosage amounts dispensed by the hospital’s pharmacy were “10 times the amount that had been prescribed.”