Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
As medication mistake attorneys in Baltimore, Maryland, we have been following a recent lawsuit filed by the family of an 82-year old patient, who died last year after a medical mistake was made in the recording of her medical history—that led to her receiving a medication dosage that was seven times the strength of her original prescription.
Eileen Funston was reportedly admitted to UPMC Passavant Hospital, in Pittsburg, PA in October of last year, where her medication history was reportedly recorded incorrectly by the doctor.
Funston’s dosage of methotrexate, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, was reportedly recorded as 12.5 milligrams per day, which should have been 12.5 milligrams per week. The medication error in her medical records was reportedly not detected, and was then repeated in her records when she was moved to another care center.
Funston’s family claims that the medication mistake lead to an overdose of methotrexate, causing Funston to suffer internal bleeding, that cause her to aspirate blood. She was reportedly moved back to UPMC Passavant hospital, where she died.
The lawsuit accuses UPMC Passavant Hospital, St. John Specialty Care and three doctors involved in her care, for medication error that lead to Funston’s wrongful death.
According a study performed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2007, over 1.7 million adverse drug events occur in the U.S. every year that are preventable—400,000 events in hospitals, with another 800,000 events occurring in long-term care settings, and around 530,000 events occurring with Medicare recipients in outpatient clinics. The study found that medication errors are common at every stage, from prescription to drug administration, as well as monitoring the patient’s response—that could lead to patient injury or wrongful death.
Our medication mistake attorneys at Lebowitz and Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers are committed to making sure that medication error victims and their loved ones receive the personal injury compensation they deserve. If someone you love has been injured or experienced a wrongful death due to a pharmacy error in the Washington D.C. area or in the state of Maryland, contact us at 1-800-654-1949 to schedule your free consultation.
Lawsuit Claims Dosage Error at UPMC Passavant Led to Death, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, June 10, 2010
Related Web Resources:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Medication Error Reports
Institute for Safe Medication Practices, (ISMP)
Institute of Medicine, (IOM)