Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog
When a pharmacy customer goes to their local pharmacy to get a prescription filled, they assume that the medication they are being provided by the pharmacy is the same one that their doctor prescribed. However, according to a recent news article, the rate of error in pharmacies has recently gone up, and continues to do so at an alarming rate.
According to a recent report by CBS Miami, patients have been noticing that they are being provided different medications, incorrect doses, or the wrong number of pills when they go to get their prescriptions refilled. The report illustrated as examples three recent situations where a local pharmacist provided his or her patient with the wrong medication:
- In one instance, allergy medication was provided to a patient who had actually been prescribed blood-pressure medicine;
- In another case, the patient received acid-reflux medication instead of the depression medication he had been prescribed; and
- In a third report, an arthritis medication was provided to a patient who in actuality needed seizure medication.
Of course, the seriousness of the pharmacy error depends on several factors, most notably the need of the patient to take the prescribed drug and also the dangerous side effects of the drug actually provided to the patient. In several hundred cases each year, serious injury or death have resulted from a pharmacist’s error.
The Prevalence and Causes of Pharmacy Error
According to the report, the rate of pharmacy errors seems to be directly related to the workload placed on individual pharmacists; the busier they are, the more likely they are to make a mistake. Thus, when new “productivity measures” are implemented by pharmacy management to increase efficiency, pharmacists are pressured to get more done in the workday. In turn, patient safety suffers as a result.
Liability in Pharmacy Error Cases
Like other medical professionals, pharmacists have a duty to provide a certain level of care and assistance to their customers. Included in this duty is the expectation that pharmacists will exercise due care when filling prescriptions. When an error is made—for whatever reason—the pharmacist and the pharmacy that employs them may be held liable. There is rarely a “good excuse” for a pharmacist providing a patient with the wrong medication.
Have You Been Provided the Wrong Medication by a Florida Pharmacist?
If you or a loved one has recently suffered some kind of injury after being provided with the wrong medication by a Florida pharmacist, you may be entitled to monetary damages. However, you should expect that the pharmacy will contest the charges and will not willingly provide you with the compensation you deserve. Therefore, it is advisable that you speak to a dedicated Florida personal injury attorney before you proceed with your case. To learn more about prescription drug errors in Florida and to speak with a dedicated attorney, call 352-387-8700 to set up a free consultation.
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Canadian Motorcyclist Killed in Accident in Florida, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published January 22, 2015.
Florida’s “2 Drunk 2 Care” Driver Pleads Guilty to DUI Manslaughter in Fatal Crash, Ocala Injury Lawyers Blog, published March 3, 2015.