Doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter after prescribing wrong antibiotic in Seinäjoki
A 33-year-old physician was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and negligent breach of duty after an erroneous IV antibiotic prescription led to a feverish patient’s death at Seinäjoki Central Hospital.
In the autumn of 2023, a feverish patient was admitted to the emergency department of Seinäjoki Central Hospital. The attending 33-year-old specialist prescribed intravenous cefuroxime without consulting the patient’s chart, ignoring recorded severe allergic reactions to that antibiotic and a related cephalosporin. The nurse began the infusion but stopped it after noticing the risk note; however, the patient died within minutes from a severe allergic reaction.
The South Ostrobothnia district court convicted the doctor of involuntary manslaughter and negligent breach of official duties, imposing a 50-day fine. The physician argued the situation was urgent, but the court and the health regulator found no evidence of an emergency that would justify bypassing the record review. The ruling underscores the legal responsibility of medical staff to verify patient histories before prescribing medication.
