Two doctors arrested over fatal injection

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Two doctors have been arrested in connection with the death of a teenager who died after a powerful anti-cancer drug was mistakenly injected into his spine.

Dr Feda Mulhem and Dr David Morton, from the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, were questioned by detectives and a file will now be sent to the Crown Prosecution Police service, police confirmed yesterday.

Wayne Jowett, 18, from Keyworth, Notts, died in February 2001, a month after the blunder. An inquiry by hospital bosses found that a catalogue of errors had led to the fatal injection.

The drug vincristine should have been injected into a vein rather than the spine. The internal investigation also heard that the drugs to be administered into Mr Jowett's spine, and those for his vein, arrived at the ward together.

Experts say that the design of syringes and bottles should be altered so that it is impossible to attach a spinal needle to the wrong drug.

An inquest last April heard that neither doctor had formal training in giving vincristine. The Nottinghamshire coroner, Dr Nigel Chapman, recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mr Jowett, an apprentice mechanic.

The two doctors have been released on police bail pending further inquiries. They were suspended from medical duties, and Dr Morton was reprimanded by the General Medical Council.

The QMC admitted liability for the error and recently paid the family of Mr Jowett a compensation payout described as "substantial".

Mr Jowett's father, also named Wayne, and his mother, Stella Brackenbury, met England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson in January to discuss their son's case and to see whether any lessons could be learned from it.

Since 1975 the same mistake has happened 13 times in the UK, although not all of the cases have been fatal.