Although they pose a risk to Maryland residents, most individuals do not know what a compounding pharmacy is. Compounding pharmacies mix, tailor, and create drugs on their own, to meet specific patients’ needs. These drugs may be helpful to individual patients, but often they are not approved by the FDA and, like any drug, can be dangerous to patients and are subject to pharmaceutical error. According to the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, there are over 55,000 compounding pharmacies in the U.S., with roughly 27,000 serving local patients and doctors directly.
Recently, a story of a compounding pharmacy error made headlines when it resulted in severe injuries to a healthy 54-year-old man, who ultimately lost his leg due to the error. According to a local news report covering the incident, the patient was regularly active, working out regularly and playing sports. To help his muscles recover from his workouts, he took injections of an amino acid drug from a compounding pharmacy. After ten months of taking the injections with no problem, he woke up one day drenched in sweat, with a raging fever and swollen leg. It turned out that he had mycobacterium abscesses growing in his leg, which is very rare and hard to treat.
The patient had to undergo 23 different surgeries over five months and was put on five different antibiotics, which caused rashes and nausea. He also began to experience a ringing in his ear, and was told by his doctor that he had to choose between saving his leg and saving his hearing, because he needed the antibiotic causing the ringing to save his leg. He decided to save his leg, because he wanted to continue to be active, but now lives with impaired hearing.
Just like other pharmacies, compounding pharmacies can be held liable for their negligence and errors, especially when they cause such traumatic and severe injuries. Maryland law allows injured patients to file a civil suit against the compounding pharmacy that gave them the drug in question. If successful, plaintiffs can recover monetary compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, and past and future medical bills. However, the process can be difficult and time-consuming, and is often overwhelming for an injured plaintiff to undertake on their own. Potential plaintiffs are encouraged to contact a personal injury lawyer to assist them on their road to recovery.
Have You Been Injured In A Maryland Pharmacy Error?
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Maryland pharmacy error, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Lebowitz & Mzhen, Personal Injury Lawyers, know that the process of recovery can be long and complicated, and want to take some of the burdens off your plate so you can focus on healing. With years of experience and an impressive track record of winning cases, you can trust your case is in good hands with our attorneys. To learn more and discuss your case with a dedicated personal injury attorney, give us a call today at 800-654-1949, or fill out our online form.