An essay contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution spurred an entry by a woman left severely disabled by her life threatening pharmacy error injury.
A pharmacy error led to the woman accidentally being given a blood thinner, instead of her diabetes medication (subscription required to view).
The error led to intense pain, and eventually prevented her from being able to walk. She was barely able to even talk on the night she called for help. After spending four days in the Intensive Care Unit, and a further two weeks in the hospital, it took months of physical therapy and other treatment to recover from her physical injuries, including brain damage.
The woman’s essay stresses the need for individuals to check their medications and trust their instincts when it comes to prescriptions.
“I knew my pills were different, had a different shape. I should have questioned them,” she said. The reason she didn’t was because when she asked on a prior occasion, she was told by a different pharmacy that they changed manufacturers often, in order to get the lowest medication cost. Therefore, she assumed that this was the case in this instance.
The takeaway message is that even a small and accidental error can have long-lasting, and in some cases deadly, results. It is because of individuals like this woman who share their stories, that the message to check your medications is getting increased publicity.
As even the essayist conveys, pharmacists are human, and they occasionally make mistakes. But, as the essay and other news events indicate, these mistakes can lead to serious injuries, and in sometimes even death. Administering an incorrect medication altogether could implicate allergies or drug incompatibilities, leading to potentially deadly, if not simply inconvenient, side effects. This is especially true in cases where individuals are in need of maintenance drugs, such as with high blood pressure or diabetes. The incorrect medication could lead to a trip to the emergency room, or worse. Furthermore, as this woman’s case in particular demonstrates, the damage could be permanent. It’s not as though as soon as the wrong drug is out of your bloodstream you are unaffected; you could end up with a lifelong disability.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of a pharmacy error or medication misfill, contact the attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen. Our hardworking attorneys have experience in representing victims of medication errors in Maryland who have been harmed by taking the wrong medications. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of taking the improper medication, contact us today through our website to schedule your free initial consultation in order to discuss your case. We will fight to secure a settlement or judgment that compensates you for medical bills, pain and suffering, physical therapy, and all related costs or damages you may have incurred. You can reach us through our website, or by calling (800) 654-1949.
More Blog Posts:
Asthmatic Nearly Dies After Dangerous Drug Administration, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 24, 2013
Robots May be the Answer to Decreasing Contamination and Error in IV Compounding, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 20, 2013