Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
Medication errors remain one of the most serious risks in clinical and pharmacy settings, often leading to severe health complications or fatalities. With new advancements in artificial intelligence, AI-enabled wearable cameras could change how drug dispensing errors are detected and prevented. These cameras, designed to monitor and verify drug vial and syringe matches in real time, offer a glimpse into the future of error prevention. While this technology holds promise for reducing medication-related harm, it also raises important legal questions about liability when mistakes occur.
How Can AI Reduce Pharmacy Errors?
Pharmacy errors happen for various reasons, from mislabeling and incorrect dosages to dispensing the wrong medication. Introducing AI cameras, such as those tested in hospital settings to detect vial swap errors, could help prevent these mistakes before they reach patients. These wearable cameras use deep learning algorithms to identify the drug type on a vial label and verify that it matches the medication being prepared. If an error is detected, the system can issue an alert, allowing pharmacists, anesthesiologists, or other medical professionals to correct the mistake before administration.
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In a pharmacy setting, AI cameras could function similarly by scanning prescription labels, pill bottles, and dosages during dispensing. The potential for real-time intervention could significantly reduce the rate of medication errors, which currently affect thousands of patients each year. These cameras would help ensure accuracy and provide recorded evidence in a dispute over whether an error occurred.
Who is Liable for Pharmacy Errors in Maryland?
In traditional pharmacy error cases, liability typically falls on the pharmacist, the pharmacy, or, in some cases, the medication manufacturer. Common errors include dispensing the wrong medication, providing an incorrect dosage, failing to warn about potential drug interactions, and mislabeling prescriptions. When a patient suffers harm due to a medication error, they may have grounds for a personal injury claim based on negligence.
Pharmacists are expected to adhere to strict professional standards; when they fail, they can be held liable. Pharmacies, as businesses, may also be responsible if poor training, overworked staff, or lack of oversight contributed to the mistake. In some cases, prescribing doctors may be held liable if they write an incorrect prescription or fail to consider dangerous drug interactions. Pharmaceutical companies could also be sued if a medication’s labeling or instructions are unclear.
How AI Technology Could Shift Liability in Maryland Pharmacy Error Cases
If AI cameras become widely used in pharmacies, the question of liability in medication errors could become more complex. On one hand, these cameras could serve as a safeguard, reducing human error and offering clear evidence in case of a mistake. On the other hand, new questions may arise about whether pharmacists should bear full responsibility when AI is involved in the verification process.
Potential legal implications include:
- Who is responsible if AI fails to detect an error? If a pharmacy relies on AI cameras for error detection and a mistake still occurs, could it argue that it was an unavoidable technological failure? This could shift blame to the manufacturer of the AI system rather than the pharmacist who dispensed the medication.
- How will AI recordings affect pharmacy malpractice claims? Video evidence could serve as critical proof in determining whether negligence occurred. If a pharmacist ignores an AI-generated warning, liability may be clearer. However, if no warning was issued, it could raise questions about the technology’s reliability.
- Will AI change the standard of care in pharmacy negligence cases? If AI cameras become the industry standard, pharmacies that fail to adopt them might be seen as negligent for not using available technology to prevent errors.
Balancing Technology and Human Responsibility
While AI offers promising solutions to reduce pharmacy errors, it is unlikely to replace human oversight entirely. Pharmacists still play a critical role in verifying prescriptions, counseling patients, and catching errors that AI may not detect. The introduction of AI monitoring could strengthen safety measures, but it also brings the need for legal clarity on who is ultimately responsible when errors occur.
AI-enabled cameras could revolutionize how pharmacy errors are prevented and documented in Maryland. However, as this technology becomes more common, legal professionals must adapt to new challenges in determining fault. Whether AI shifts liability or adds another layer of accountability remains to be seen.
Contact the Dedicated Maryland Injury Lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen to Learn More
If you or a loved one was recently injured due to another’s negligence, it’s important you take a few minutes to learn about your rights and what you can do to hold the at-fault party accountable. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, we have decades of combined experience handling all types of personal injury, wrongful death, and medical malpractice lawsuits on behalf of clients throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. To learn more and to schedule a free consultation today, give us a call at 800-654-1949. You can also connect with us through our secure online contact form.