Articles Posted in Pharmacy Malpractice

In a country where doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are well-educated and trained, we don’t expect them to make mistakes. Unfortunately, pharmacists are just as likely to make errors at their job as anyone else.  Research shows that up to 10% of prescriptions are filled erroneously. Whether the error is filling the wrong prescription, inaccurately filling a prescription, or failing to provide patients with the necessary information, these errors can be detrimental to patients.  Of the hundreds of prescriptions pharmacists fill every day, it’s no surprise that mistakes happen.  Pharmacy malpractice happens frequently in the United States. Between 1 and 1.5 million Americans are injured from medication errors each year. Close to 50% of Americans take prescription medication at least once a month. This means that around 1 in 100 prescriptions will cause an injury. Elderly persons and those with limited access to healthcare may be affected by pharmacy malpractice injuries at higher rates. The most common cause of pharmacy malpractice is distraction, accounting for an estimated 75% of cases. Medication malpractice leads to an additional $3.5 billion in additional medical costs each year. 100% of those injured by pharmacist errors can reach out to a pharmacy malpractice lawyer for help. The seasoned Syracuse and Rochester area attorneys at  DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers can review your case to see if you may have a valid claim against the pharmacy/pharmacist for dispensing the incorrect medication.

Individuals place great trust in pharmacists to properly mix and dispense medications. A pharmacist is also responsible for double-checking medications which are prepared by technicians, who can be inexperienced and low-paid employees. Pharmacists are specialists and are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with a reasonable person with similar education and training. They must exercise judgment concerning a patient’s use of medications, drug interactions, and refills.

Shockingly, every day people receive incorrect prescriptions from their local pharmacy. The errors usually occur when the wrong medicine is prescribed, the pharmacy fills the prescription with the incorrect medication, or the wrong dosage of the correct prescription is dispensed. Many times, the effects of the wrong medication are minor, unfortunately, many incorrect prescriptions result in injuries that are not so benign. Some situations end in the patient dying from the medication error.