Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog

The Risks of Compounded Medications in Maryland Pharmacies

February 28, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Prescription errors can have devastating consequences, particularly when they involve compounded medications that do not undergo the same rigorous testing as FDA-approved drugs. A recent JAMA study highlights growing concerns about compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), which have surged in popularity due to their effectiveness in treating diabetes and promoting weight loss. While compounding pharmacies play an important role in customizing medications for individual needs, errors in this process can result in serious health risks.

Understanding the risks associated with compounded drugs is essential for Maryland patients who rely on pharmacies to provide safe medications. When a pharmacy makes an error with a compounded medication, patients may suffer severe side effects, incorrect dosages, or exposure to harmful contaminants. Legal options exist for those harmed by prescription mistakes, but proving liability requires an experienced attorney who understands the regulations surrounding Maryland pharmacies and compounded drugs.

Understanding Compounded Medications and Their Purpose

How Pharmacy Errors Threaten Patient Safety in Maryland

February 22, 2025 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Errors in pharmacy settings create significant risks for patients, especially when healthcare facilities fail to provide adequate staffing and oversight. Prescription mistakes, ranging from incorrect dosages to harmful drug interactions, can lead to severe complications. These preventable errors often stem from systemic failures, including poor management and high turnover among pharmacy teams. Patients in Maryland trust hospitals and pharmacies to ensure their safety, but the consequences can be devastating when that trust is broken.

Medication reconciliation programs, designed to review and verify patients’ medication histories, are a vital safeguard. These programs aim to prevent adverse drug events by identifying inconsistencies, such as duplicate prescriptions or omissions. However, their ability to protect patients diminishes when reconciliation teams face resource shortages. As a result, medication errors become more frequent and more dangerous, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and systemic reform.

The Critical Role of Medication Reconciliation Programs

Pharmacy Errors and Patient Safety: What Maryland Patients Need to Know

December 27, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Recent allegations against a pharmacy for medication errors and record-keeping failures highlight the devastating impact pharmacy mistakes can have on patients’ lives. Cases of incorrect prescriptions, improper labeling, and unreported errors underscore the risks patients face when pharmacies fail to meet their professional obligations. Under Maryland law, pharmacies and their staff have strict licensing requirements and responsibilities to ensure patient safety. When errors occur, victims may be entitled to pursue legal compensation claims.

If you or a loved one has suffered due to a pharmacy error, understanding your rights and the legal options available is essential to recovering damages and preventing further harm.

What Are the Licensing Requirements and Responsibilities for Maryland Pharmacies?

Pharmacies in Maryland operate under strict licensing requirements enforced by the Maryland Board of Pharmacy. These regulations ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians maintain the necessary qualifications and adhere to professional standards. Pharmacies are required to maintain accurate records of prescriptions and transactions to ensure accountability and traceability in their operations. They must also comply with federal and state laws that govern the safe and lawful dispensing of medications. Additionally, pharmacies are expected to participate in quality improvement programs designed to identify and prevent errors, ensuring that patient safety remains a top priority in their practices.

AI-Enabled Wearables May Help Pharmacists Detect Medication Errors

November 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare continues to revolutionize patient safety, particularly in preventing medication errors. According to a recent report from TechTarget Health IT, researchers have developed an AI-enabled wearable device that monitors patients and identifies medication errors in real-time. This cutting-edge technology not only enhances patient safety but also highlights the ongoing challenges and risks associated with medication errors.

For patients who suffer harm due to medication mistakes, these innovations may provide an additional layer of protection. However, even the most advanced technology cannot replace the need for accountability when errors occur. In such cases, pharmacy error attorneys play a critical role in helping victims seek justice and compensation.

The Role of AI in Medication Safety

Types of Claims Maryland Prescription Error Victims Can Pursue

October 31, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A recent case involving a woman in Florida highlights the serious risks of pharmacy errors. The woman, battling severe blood clots after breast cancer treatment, was given the wrong medication when she filled her prescription at a pharmacy. Though this incident occurred in Florida, it raises important questions about the legal rights of patients in Maryland who may face similar pharmaceutical errors.

In Maryland, victims of prescription errors have the right to seek compensation through a personal injury or medical malpractice claim, depending on the circumstances of the case. Understanding how Maryland law addresses pharmaceutical negligence is crucial for those affected by such mistakes.

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FDA Warns of Compounding and Dosing Errors with Injectable Semaglutide Products

October 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The United States has become increasingly heavier over the past half century — overall obesity rates have increased three-fold since the 1960s. Currently, more than two-thirds of U.S. residents are now, by definition, overweight with those individuals qualifying as obese making up more than 40 percent of the population. Even more disturbing is the fact that one in ten individuals meet the medical criteria for a person who is morbidly obese, which can be a life-threatening condition if not counteracted by a change of diet and exercise.

Sadly, this increase in national obesity hasn’t happened overnight; in fact, it’s been a gradual and relentless process that has seen the number of overweight individuals in this country tripling over the past 60 years. Furthermore, the incidence of severe (morbid) obesity has increased ten-fold since the 1960s, and shockingly the figures may actually be an underestimation of this nationwide problem. Here in Maryland, the obesity rate is slightly below the national average at 34.3 percent as of 2021, but that is hardly any consolation.

With such a large number of overweight individuals in the U.S., dieting and nutritional advice has become big business over the past several decades. So many people, hoping to shed excessive weight quickly and with less effort, have fueled an entire industry of weight loss programs, supplements and prescription drugs. Enter Semaglutide, an FDA-approved pharmaceutical marketed by Novo Nordisk under several different brand names, which is being used to help patients with Type 2 diabetes and chronic obesity. This latest answer to the country’s obesity epidemic has shown great promise since its introduction several years ago, but as with many medications there are potential pitfalls and dangers facing those who take advantage of this breakthrough drug.

Pharmacy Compounding Errors and Legal Accountability in Maryland

September 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pharmacies play a critical role in ensuring patients receive the correct medications. When a pharmacy fails in its duties, particularly with compounded medications, the results can be disastrous, as seen in a recent case where children were hospitalized after receiving incorrectly compounded prescriptions. Pharmacy errors, like improper compounding, can lead to severe consequences. Under Maryland law, pharmacies must adhere to stringent regulations to ensure patient safety. Understanding these regulations and what happens when they are violated is essential for those affected by such mistakes.

Maryland Regulations for Pharmacy Compounding

In Maryland, pharmacies that engage in compounding must comply with state and federal laws designed to protect patients. Compounding is not as simple as filling a prescription—it requires creating custom medication by combining ingredients based on a patient’s needs. This process requires precision and oversight, and pharmacists are legally obligated to ensure that the medications they prepare are accurate, safe, and adequately documented.

Children Given COVID-19 Vaccine Instead of Flu Shots at a Walgreens Pharmacy

August 31, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Vaccine and pharmaceutical errors can have serious consequences, especially when the wrong medication or dosage is administered. While vaccines are a vital part of public health, mistakes in their administration can lead to unintended injuries and significant concern for families. Understanding your rights under Maryland law is crucial if your child has been affected by a pharmacy error.

Walgreens Pharmacy Error Leads to COVID-19 Vaccination of Young Children

An Indiana couple previously reported that their 4- and 5-year-old children were mistakenly given adult doses of the COVID-19 vaccine instead of the flu shots they were scheduled to receive at a local Walgreens pharmacy. The mix-up occurred during a routine vaccination appointment, leaving the parents deeply concerned about the potential health impacts on their young children.

Cyberattack on Ascension Hospitals Could Lead to Serious Pharmaceutical Errors

July 30, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A recent cyberattack on one of the nation’s largest healthcare systems, Ascension, has resulted in significant lapses in patient care, including serious pharmaceutical errors. The attack affected 140 hospitals across multiple states and locked providers out of critical systems that track and coordinate patient care. These disruptions have led to medication errors, delayed treatments, and compromised patient safety. Victims of such pharmaceutical errors should contact a Maryland pharmaceutical error attorney to understand their rights and seek justice for the harm caused.

How Do Pharmaceutical Errors Occur?

Pharmaceutical errors can occur for various reasons, often stemming from lapses in the healthcare system. In the recent cyberattack on Ascension hospitals, losing access to electronic health records and other vital systems forced healthcare providers to revert to paper documentation. This sudden shift led to confusion and errors as medical staff struggled to decipher handwritten notes and manually manage medication orders.

Medication errors can happen at any stage, from prescribing to administering drugs. Common causes include incorrect dosage, wrong medication, and failure to recognize patient allergies or interactions with other medications. In the chaos following the cyberattack, these errors became more frequent and severe, highlighting the importance of reliable electronic systems in modern healthcare.

Pharmacy Errors Involving Children: What You Need to Know

June 22, 2024 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Pharmacy errors can have serious consequences, especially when children are involved. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, we understand the fear and frustration you may feel if your child has been harmed due to a pharmacy error. This blog post will help you understand the common types of pharmacy errors involving children and what steps you can take to protect your family.

Common Types of Pharmacy Errors Involving Children

Pharmacy errors can happen in various ways, and when they involve children, the results can be particularly severe. Some common types of errors include: