Earlier this month, one woman in New Zealand was forced to abandon her in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempt when she was provided the wrong dose of a necessary medication by her local pharmacy. According to a report by a New Zealand news source, the woman was undergoing a frozen egg transfer as part of her IVF treatment. As a part of that procedure, she was prescribed oestradiol valerate.
The medicine was faxed to her pharmacy. The receiving pharmacist typed in the first few letters of the medication, and the computer automatically populated the result: oestriol. The pharmacist filled the prescription for oestriol rather than oestradiol valerate.
When the woman went to pick up her prescription, she didn’t notice the mistake. She accepted the medicine from the pharmacist and began taking it according to the label’s instructions.
It wasn’t until a few weeks later that it was discovered she had been provided the wrong medication. As a result of the error, the woman was forced to abandon her IVF attempt. She will be able to try again in the future, but she will have forfeited the high cost of the procedure and will have to wait several months to try again.
The Potential Harms of Pharmacy Errors
This is an interesting case because it shows some of the less common damages that one may suffer as a result of a pharmacist’s error. The woman in this case was forced to forego her expensive IVF treatment and postpone her hopes of getting pregnant due to the negligence of a pharmacist.
Most of the pharmacy errors we post on this blog result in serious injury or death. Rarely do we see an injury of this sort. However, that doesn’t mean that this type of injury is not appropriate for a lawsuit seeking monetary compensation. Not only is the woman out of the money for the IVF treatment, which can be close to $20,000, but she has also damaged her body in the process. Furthermore, she is forced to wait at least another six weeks before she can try again, delaying the pregnancy longer than she had wanted or planned
Pharmacy errors can result in a variety of known harms, but also myriad untold harms as well. If you have been injured by the negligence of a pharmacist, contact a dedicated pharmacy error attorney today.
Have You Been Provided the Wrong Drug By Your Local Pharmacist?
If you have recently been the victim of a pharmacy error and suffered some kind of harm as a result, you may be entitled to monetary compensation based on the pharmacist’s negligence. Keep in mind, however, that pharmacies generally retain dedicated legal counsel to defend their pharmacists against these charges, so you should be prepared to fight for your right to compensation. To learn more, and to speak to a dedicated advocate who can explain what you should expect moving forward, call 410-654-3600 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.
California Costco Pharmacy Mis-Fills One Patient’s Prescription Twice in One Year, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, January 22, 2015.