Unsupervised Treatment for Acne Leads to Death of 14-year-old Welsh Boy

Unsupervised treatment for acne has led to the death of a 14-year-old Welsh boy. Shaun Jones, a strapping 6 ft rugby player died barely 12 hours after consuming some tablets suggested by a pharmacy salesman.

He was unhappy with some spots on his back and shoulders an consulted a doctor. It was only mild acne and given a prescription.

Unfortunately for him that drug was out of stock, but the pharmacist had spoken to the doctor and he could take some alternative medicine.

 Shaun Jones’ mother told a coroner’s court that here was no safety leaflet included in the box, but thought nothing of that at the time.

Shaun took the medication with a glass of water just before going to bed at 10.30pm on October 20 last year.

Little more than an hour later, he complained to his parents of shortness of breath and tightness in his chest.

Mrs Jones initially contacted an out of hours GP service but was told no doctor was available.

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When Shaun’s condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant, by ambulance in the early hours of the next morning.

Despite treatment there, and at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where he was transferred to, Shaun died at 10.40am on October 21.

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Doctors at the University Hospital of Wales believe an “idiosyncratic reaction” to the acne medication could have caused his death.

In a statement read to the court, Mrs Jones said: “My son was fit and healthy. He was 6ft tall and physically very fit.

“He excelled at rugby and trained and played very hard.

“I’m mystified by his death as is my entire family.”

She said she had since conducted her own research into the medication Shaun took.

Mrs Jones said: “Had there been instructions in the box and having read all the information on this drug since, I would have called 999 straightaway and certainly wouldn’t have given him the tablet before going to bed.”

The whole episode was “extremely painful” for her, Shaun’s father Graeme and his younger sister, she said.

Shaun was described by James Williams, his head teacher at Hawthorn High School, Pontypridd, as an “extremely popular student” who “excelled” in playing rugby for his school, village and district teams, Wales Online reported.

In a statement read to the inquest he said: “He’d everything to live for and would have been a credit to himself, his family and the school.

“There is no reason for him not to have been not only an excellent rugby player but a valuable member of the community.”



Source-Medindia
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