Pharmacy Errors on the Rise, According to One Industry Source

Medical errors routinely rate among of the most frequent causes of preventable death in the United States. One of the more common types of medical errors are pharmacy misfills or prescription errors. These errors occur when a pharmacist provides a patient with the wrong medication, wrong dose, or wrong instructions.

According to one industry news source, pharmacy errors are on the rise. Evidently, the National Pharmacy Association released its most recent data which showed a 64% increase in pharmacy errors between April and June of this year. The data showed that nearly half of all of the reported pharmacy errors were caused by “workload and time pressures.”

The types of errors reported varied, but the following were some of the more common error types:

  • providing the wrong medication to the patient based on medication with similar sounding or looking names;
  • mixing up patients’ names and addresses; and
  • attaching the wrong information slip to a patient’s prescription.

The researchers conducting the study explained that it is very important for pharmacists to have “robust procedures” in place to prevent errors, including those involving a beach of patient confidentiality. The researchers also noted that the drastic increase in errors may be due in part to an increase in the number of pharmacists reporting their own errors.

It is important to note that pharmacists are not required to report most of their errors. In fact, unless a patient actually suffers serious injury, a pharmacist can use their discretion in deciding whether to report the error. Of course, this means that the total number of pharmacy errors is likely only a small fraction of the true number of errors.

Recovering after a Pharmacy Error

Pharmacy errors frequently result in serious injury and, in some cases, death. When a pharmacist provides a patient with the wrong medication, dosage, or instructions, and patient suffers as a result, the patient may be able to recover for their injuries in a Maryland pharmacy error lawsuit.

Pharmacy error lawsuits can be exceedingly complex. Depending on the surrounding circumstances, a plaintiff’s case may require the testimony of scientific or medical experts. Normally, these experts assist in proving the causation element of a pharmacy error claim, in which a plaintiff must show that the pharmacist’s error was the cause of their injuries.

Have You Been the Victim of a Maryland Pharmacy Error?

If you or a loved one has recently been injured due to a Maryland pharmacy error, you may be entitled to monetary compensation through a Maryland pharmacy error lawsuit. The dedicated team of Maryland personal injury lawyers at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC have decades of collective experience representing injury victims in cases against negligent pharmacists. We have a successful track record, and know what it takes to succeed on our clients’ behalf. To learn more, call 410-654-3600 to schedule your free consultation today.

More Blog Posts:

Steps That All Pharmacists Can Take to Reduce Dispensing Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, July 16, 2018.

Court Dismisses Claim Against Drug Manufacturer for Failure to Provide Medication Guide with Prescription, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, August 7, 2018.

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