Medication errors in pharmacy can cause serious health problems or even death. When you trust a pharmacy to fill your prescription, you expect them to get it right. But sometimes, pharmacists or pharmacy staff make serious mistakes that put your health at risk.
Getting the wrong medication or dosage from the pharmacy and suffering serious harm sounds like a nightmare, but it’s shockingly common!
Pharmacy error statistics
According to the University of Connecticut’s School of Pharmacy, out of all the prescriptions filled in the US 1-5 percent of them involve some kind of error. According to the same report, prescription labels with incorrect directions are the most frequent type of errors. Giving the wrong dosage for a medicine is the second most common error pharmacists make.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), medication errors cause at least one death every day and injure about 1.3 million people annually in the United States.
So, what happens when a medication error puts your health and well-being in jeopardy? Do you have any legal recourse against the pharmacy or the person who made the mistake? Would you know what to do if a prescription error hurts you or someone you love?
Causes of prescription errors
Dispensing medication can be a complex process. Therefore, the pharmacist can make an error anywhere in the process. In most cases, these errors are accidental. Here are some of the reasons medication errors in pharmacy happen:
- Poor communication between pharmacy and medical professionals, or the pharmacy and the patient
- Confusion caused by ambiguous product names, poorly written directions, or hard-to-decipher medical abbreviations or handwriting
- Failure to employ proper procedures and techniques for prescribing and dispensing medications
- Lack of product knowledge or training on the part of pharmacy staff
- Job stress, apathy, or outright carelessness on the part of pharmacists, pharmacy staff, or other medical professionals
The lawsuits that result from medication errors are often complex and require an extensive understanding of the prescription drug system on the part of the attorneys who handle them.
Most common medication errors
A pharmacy dispensing error happens when the pharmacy gives you the wrong drug, wrong dosage, or wrong instructions. Some common mistakes include:
- Giving a medication meant for someone else
- Misreading the prescription
- Confusing drugs with similar names
- Incorrect dosage or instructions
These errors can happen at big chain pharmacies or small local ones. Even experienced pharmacists can make mistakes when they’re rushed or distracted.
Side effects of taking the wrong medication
Taking the wrong medicine can cause serious side effects. In some cases, the wrong medication can lead to emergency room visits, long-term health problems or even death. Side effects may include:
- Allergic reactions
- Trouble breathing
- Heart problems
- Internal bleeding
- Dangerous interactions with other medications
- Death
That’s why it’s important to catch these mistakes quickly.
How to prevent medication errors
Prevention is preferred over treatment. Therefore, it is wise to try to avoid medication errors in pharmacy in the first place. This way you won’t have to file a claim or sue the pharmacy for any damages later on.
Here are a few ways to help protect yourself from pharmacy mistakes:
- Double-check the label – Before leaving the pharmacy, make sure your name, the medication name, and the dosage are correct.
- Know your meds – If the pill looks different from what you usually take, ask the pharmacist.
- Ask questions – Don’t be afraid to speak up if something seems off. You have the right to a patient-pharmacist counseling session. You can ask about any side effects, interactions and other critical information at this time.
- Keep a list – Write down all the medications you take and update it often.
Even though pharmacists are trained professionals, don’t hesitate to be your own advocate.
What to do if you’ve been harmed by a medication error
Whether a medication error constitutes pharmacy malpractice , depends on the behavior that led to the error. If a doctor, pharmacist, or pharmacy staff member failed to follow established guidelines and practices for their field and didn’t exercise the reasonable care that’s expected of a medical professional, then they might have committed malpractice.
RELATED: 5 Common Examples of Lawsuit-Worthy Medical Malpractice
A pharmacist could have committed malpractice if they:
- Gave you the wrong medication
- Gave you the wrong dosage of a medication
- Didn’t warn you about all the risks associated with the medication, including potential harmful interactions between different drugs
- Dangerously mixed different prescription drugs that shouldn’t go together
Reporting pharmacy mistakes
If you think your pharmacy made a mistake, take action right away:
- Stop taking the medicine immediately.
- Call your doctor or go to the emergency room if you’re having symptoms.
- Report the error to the pharmacy manager.
- Document everything – Keep the pill bottle, take notes, and save receipts.
- File a report with the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy or the SC Department of Public Health.
Reporting helps protect you and others from future mistakes.
Medication error case
Medication errors in pharmacy are serious. The law allows you to hold pharmacies accountable for their actions.
If you were harmed by a pharmacy’s mistake, you may be able to file a medication error lawsuit. A pharmacy malpractice attorney can help you:
- Prove the pharmacy’s error
- Show how it affected your health
- Seek compensation
Pharmacy malpractice compensation
Medication errors in pharmacy can change your life. Pharmacy malpractice cases can be complex, but an experienced lawyer will know how to fight for your rights.
If you are the victim of pharmacy malpractice, you might be entitled to receive compensation to recover damages. In a successful case, you may receive compensation to help cover:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral costs (in wrongful death cases)
If a pharmacy gave you the wrong medication, and you were injured because of the mistake, don’t wait. Talk to a lawyer who handles these kinds of cases. You deserve answers—and justice.
The Law Offices of David L. Hood: Representing Pharmacy Malpractice Victims Throughout South Carolina
Prescription errors can lead to untold pain and suffering for patients, but the legal system helps victims hold the people who hurt them accountable. For pharmacy malpractice victims, Attorney David L. Hood and his co-counsel legal team have over 30 years of experience handling pharmacy malpractice cases. This accomplished team can draw from a professional network of doctors, nurses, and other medical experts. We can help determine the cause of a medication mistake and provide expert testimony if medical negligence played a role in your case.
If a pharmacy error caused suffering for you or someone you love, Attorney David Hood will fight with determination and explore every available legal option to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.
Contact The Law Offices of David L. Hood today to speak with an attorney and get a free, no-risk initial assessment of your case. Call us at (843) 491-6025 or fill out our easy online contact form and we’ll follow up with you right away.
Don’t let a pharmacy’s mistake go unchecked—speak up, take action, and get the help you need!
