The Risk of Pharmacy Errors in Maryland Children’s Hospitals

For a parent, almost nothing is scarier than having your child be sick and in need of hospitalization. Unfortunately, parents across Maryland face this reality every day, relying on children’s hospitals and wards to protect their infants and children. Hospitals are supposed to keep their patients safe and take care of them to the best of their abilities, but, tragically, sometimes mistakes happen, jeopardizing the health and livelihood of young patients. One common type of mistake is pharmacy errors, when the incorrect medication or dosage is given to one or more patient. These errors are particularly concerning when the patients are infants or children, particularly vulnerable and potentially unable to communicate when something feels wrong.

When pharmacy errors happen, the results can be tragic, potentially leading to severe health concerns or even death. That risk is increased when the mistake is not immediately discovered, but rather continues to happen. For example, a children’s hospital in Cincinnati recently admitted to mistakenly giving several patients a wrongly mixed batch of blood pressure medication. According to a local news report covering the tragic incident, one of the victims affected is an 11-month-old baby, who received 54 doses of the incorrectly mixed drug. Each dose was ten times stronger than required, and although the infant survived, he suffered kidney damage as a result.

The hospital has not released much additional information. At this time, it is unknown how many other patients received the incorrect medication, for how long, or what adverse outcomes occurred. The hospital has also not made clear whether the incorrectly mixed medication was created in its own pharmacy or received from an outside supplier.

The tragic mishap in Cincinnati is not unique to that one hospital. There are, unfortunately, instances of pharmacy errors in Maryland hospitals as well, jeopardizing patient’s health and safety. When injuries result from these errors, one can only hope that the mistake is identified as quickly as possible, and steps are taken to avoid as much harm as possible. However, in most circumstances, nothing can undo the damage already caused. If a child is injured due to a hospital’s pharmacy error, Maryland parents should consider filing a claim against the hospital to recover for the harm caused, which can help them pay costly medical bills and provide for their child as they heal.

Thinking of Filing a Maryland Pharmacy Error Claim?

Contact Lebowitz & Mzhen, Personal Injury Lawyers, if you or a loved one has recently been the victim of a Maryland pharmacy error. Our personal injury practice represents patients all across Maryland and in the D.C. area, and has years of experience getting our clients fair compensation for their injuries. With dedicated and passionate attorneys, we will take on large hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to level the playing field and protect patients’ rights. We are also familiar with common barriers plaintiffs face and how to overcome them. When you work with Lebowitz & Mzhen, you can relax knowing your case is in good hands. Call us today to schedule a free initial consultation: 800-654-1949.

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