FDA Reminds of Correct Dosing for Kaletra Oral Solution

Jenny Albano

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The FDA and Abbott Laboratories sent out an alert to remind clinicians of the appropriate dosing for Kaletra Oral Solution after a 44 month-old baby died of an overdose of the solution. Kaletra is used for the treatment of AIDS in adults and children over six months of age.

The infant who died was given over 10 times the appropriate amount and died 9 days after receiving the treatment. Officials think the death was due to a miscalculation of the dosage.

The dosing guidelines for Kaletra Oral Solution state that adults and children weighing 40 kg or more should receive 5 mL of the solution, but infants and children weighing less than 40 kg should receive a weight-based dosing of less than 5 mL.

The letter that was released from Abbott stated, "Healthcare professionals should pay special attention to accurate calculation of the dose of Kaletra, transcription of the medication order, dispensing information and dosing instructions to minimize the risk for medication errors."

The Kaletra Oral Solution is highly concentrated and contains 80 mg of lopinavir and 20 mg of ritonavir per milliliter. There is no antidote for the solution so doctors and health car professionals should use extreme care when giving infants this medication.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.