Medications not only have to be safe but also must contain sufficient warnings and instructions so that patients will know how to use them safely. A medication’s lack of clear instructions and warnings puts patients at risk. A plaintiff may bring a Maryland pharmacy claim against a drug manufacturer for failing to warn of the dangers of taking a medication.
Do Drug Manufacturers Need to Put Warnings on Dangerous Drugs?
Unless a danger is obvious and widely known, a medication must provide adequate warnings concerning the medication’s risks, such as known side effects. Warnings must also be clear and easy to understand. The medication also must include adequate instructions on how to take the medication safely. Courts will consider the knowledge and expertise of the average consumer that uses the medication. If a medication’s instructions are not clear enough or do not contain sufficient information so that consumers will know how to safely use the medication, the instructions are not sufficient, and the manufacturer may be liable for injuries that occur as a result.
In cases where a patient is injured due to a lack of sufficient instructions or failure to adequately disclose risks, the patient may be able to file a Maryland injury claim and recover financial compensation for the injuries. Successful plaintiffs may be able to recover financial compensation for damages including medical bills, psychological suffering, future medical expenses, lost wages, and more. One recent study revealed that at half of the patients were using inhalers incorrectly.
Study Showed Half of Patients Make Critical Errors Using Inhalers
The benefits of using inhalers depend on patients’ abilities to follow treatment plans and to use inhalers correctly. In a recent study on the usage of inhalers, researchers looked at the use of patients’ inhalers. The study revealed that of the patients in the study, half of them made “critical errors” while they were using inhalers. In addition, only 21 percent of patients in the study said that they had received instructions on the correct usage of inhalers from both their doctor and their pharmacist. 71 percent said that they had received instructions from one or the other, and some reported that they had never been taught how to correctly use an inhaler. The incorrect use of an inhaler was more likely to occur with patients who used more than one inhaler and with patients who had both asthma and COPD. The researchers found that many patients who needed inhalers were not “benefitting from the full potential of their devices.”
Consult a Maryland Pharmacy Lawyer
If a medication fails to properly instruct consumers on its correct usage and advise them of risks, injured patients may be able to file a Maryland pharmacy error claim. The Maryland personal injury lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen take pride in advocating for the rights of victims throughout the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area. Their attorneys work closely with medical experts to pursue the compensation clients deserve. If you or a loved one has suffered due to a medication error, contact Lebowitz & Mzhen via their online form or at 1-800-654-1949 to schedule a free consultation.