An expert in child medicines has challenged national media reporting of a dispensing error involving a three-month-old child.

According to the Daily Mail, a labelling error by a locum pharmacist at a Tesco pharmacy in Devon resulted in a three-month-old being given 5ml tds of a penicillin suspension, rather than 3ml as prescribed.

However, paediatrics expert Steve Tomlin has questioned the Mail’s coverage of the error, which described the incident as a “massive overdose” and reported the baby was being “monitored for long-term liver and kidney damage”.

Mr Tomlin, consultant paediatric pharmacist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said that while it was hard to comment without knowing specifics, he believed it was not serious.

He said: “The chances of harm are very, very unlikely. We use bigger doses in hospital and we don’t liver monitor.

“We’re supposed to be in a culture of openness, and that sort of reporting doesn’t help,” he added.

In a statement, Tesco confirmed the error had occurred, adding that the supermarket had “investigated this incident fully and… have been in touch with the customer to apologise for the distress it has caused”.

Tesco is currently discussing compensation with the baby’s mother, the spokesperson added. The locum who made the error is no longer working for Tesco.The RPSGB said it did “not envisage this regrettable case slowing down the process of changing the law [to decriminalise dispensing errors]”. The Society will investigate the case, the spokeswoman added.

The NPA said it was directly involved in the case and declined to comment.

The incident comes three months after locum Elizabeth Lee was handed a suspended sentence for a labelling offence, despite bearing no responsibility for the death of the patient.