Earlier this month, a CBS news affiliate published an article discussing pharmacy errors broadly and also focusing in on the fact that Walgreen’s Pharmacy is currently facing several lawsuits based on the alleged negligence of their pharmacists. According to the report, just this year two serious pharmacy errors have occurred at Walgreen’s stores across the country.
The first was a five-year-old boy who was somehow provided with anti-psychotic medication rather than his normal allergy medicine. Not only was the provided medication the wrong one, but the dose was ten times stronger than that which should be used for a child his age and size. The boy took two doses of the unprescribed medicine before his parents noticed the mistake. His parents told reporters that “he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t talk” after taking the two doses. His parents were later told by doctors that if they had given him one more dose they may have lost their son.
The second situation involved a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly given schizophrenia medication instead of simple antibiotics. After getting home and taking the medication, she experienced blurred vision and a racing heart. The girl’s mother told reporters that, as she stood by her daughter’s side that day, she was afraid she was going to lose her. Thankfully, both patients recovered from the medication errors.
In addition to these recent errors, the article points out that Walgreen’s has recently settled two pharmacy error cases for an undisclosed amount.
The Prevalence of Pharmacy Errors in the United States
Pharmacy errors are not uncommon. One estimate is that there is a roughly 1.7% error rate among filled prescriptions. Given that there are about 40 billion prescriptions filled in the US each year, that adds up to over 40 million pharmacy errors each year. However, exact statistics are difficult to determine because, under federal law, pharmacies are allowed to keep their mistakes secret as long as the pharmacy sets up an internal review process. This shields many pharmacy errors from the public eye.
Holding Pharmacies Responsible
Due to the lax regulatory system in place, pharmacy errors are rarely made public. However, that does not mean that those injured by a pharmacist’s mistake cannot seek compensation for their injuries. Thankfully, the laws of Maryland permit lawsuits to be filed against pharmacies when their negligence resulted in injury to a patient. This means that, with the help of a skilled attorney, you may be able to recover for the injuries you sustained after a pharmacy error.
Have You Been Injured after Taking Improperly Prescribed Medication?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured after being provided with the wrong medication by a pharmacist, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for all that you have been put through. This can include amounts for past medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages, and decrease in earning capacity, as well as for any pain and suffering that you endured as a result of the error. To learn more, and to speak with a dedicated Maryland pharmacy error attorney about your case, call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Woman Hospitalized for “Poisoning” After Pharmacist’s Error, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, February 23, 2015.
Medical Journal Recommends Physicians and Pharmacists Convert Completely to the Metric System to Avoid Medication Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, May 4, 2015.