A CHEMIST who caused a pensioner to be violently ill when he prescribed her the wrong drugs, has escaped with a reprimand.

The woman was left with nausea and diarrhoea after pharmacist Rashmikani Patel gave her anti-depressants instead of anti-cholesterol drugs from his pharmacy in Kirkdale Road, Sydenham.

The 53-year-old was called before a Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) conduct commitee after ignoring letters and phone calls from the organisation.

RPS lawyer Balvinder Banga told the hearing, which was held on February 23 at the society's headquarters in Lambeth, London, how the 70-year-old victim needed cholesterol medication after suffering two heart attacks.

She said: "The drug supplied was not set out in her prescription."

Mr Patel, of The Spinneys, Bickley, told the society he accepted responsibility for the error.

He was told to take advantage of RPS guidelines for safely running his pharmacy to avoid further mistakes.