Medication and Pharmaceutical Errors

Prescription and over the counter medications are used by countless people around the United States each and every day, used to treat conditions as minor as hay fever and as serious as terminal cancer. It is estimated that 70% of all Americans take prescription drugs to treat a myriad of different medical problems, and the number is set to rise as the Baby Boomer generation ages.

The powerful medicines, compounds and chemicals found in pharmaceutical products are nothing to take lightly – even medications available on the shelf in the grocery store can be life threatening if taken incorrectly. The FDA reports that pharmaceutical errors kill at least one person every day across the US, and injure over 1.3 million people annually. Has this affected you or someone that you love? Keep reading to learn more.

Pharmaceutical errors and medical malpractice – how does it happen?

Pharmaceutical errors can happen when a healthcare provider (doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other practitioner) is negligent when providing medications to a patient. This can include being provided the incorrect medication, the incorrect dosage or failing to recognize negative reactions between different medications.

Medical malpractice claims due to medication errors often arise from the following:

• Mistakes made filling prescriptions
• A failure to properly advise patients on the correct usage of medication
• Incorrect labels adhered to medication bottles, causing improper usage
• Adverse drug reactions caused by allergies or conflicting prescriptions
• Administration errors, including giving patients the wrong dose or the wrong type of medicine

How can medication errors be prevented?

These errors are easily preventable, yet prescription errors occur every day. This can be due to overworked/ stressed medical professionals, carelessness, distraction or misinformation. Computerized entry systems can help to reduce these problems, as they can eliminate the problems that arise with handwriting legibility.

Who is liable when a medication error occurs?

Every medication malpractice situation is different, and there may be multiple people or companies who might be liable. The physicians, nurses or pharmacists might be liable for administering medication improperly, but in some cases the manufacturer might be at fault if they failed to properly warn patients of potential interactions or side effects.

Have you or a loved one been the victim of a medication error?

At the very least, a medication error can often be painful or debilitating – at the worst, it can cause permanent disability or even death. If you have been a victim of a medication error as a result of medical malpractice, it is important that you and your family understand your rights. You deserve to receive fair compensation for your injuries or loss.

Contact the skilled, compassionate and experienced team at Baizer Kolar P.C. today and learn more about the steps that you can take to receive the compensation you are owed.