Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
With the increase of pharmacy errors over the past several years, many pharmacies are looking to automated systems to reduce the element of human error in the filling of prescriptions. Indeed, most Maryland prescription errors are caused by busy pharmacists trying to keep up with what seems like a never-ending workload. While pharmacists are certainly well-intentioned, the reality is that by acting in haste, they place patients at risk.
In many cases, these automated systems use a series of bar codes to inventory, track, and dispense medication, making sure that the proper medication gets to the patient. However, even with the advent of these new automated systems, serious pharmacy errors still occur. When a pharmacy error does occur, the results may be devastating, especially when the patient is elderly or young, or when the medication in question carries serious side effects.
Infant’s Mother Provided Expired Medication at Retail Pharmacy
Earlier this month, the mother of a four-month-old baby was given medication for her child that had been expired for six months. According to a local news report covering the error, the child was suffering from a severe case of acid reflux and was prescribed medication for the condition by the family’s physician. The mother took the prescription to a local pharmacy, picking up four boxes of the medication. By the time the mother got back to her car, she double-checked the box and noticed that all four boxes had been expired for six months – two months before her baby was even born.
The mother went back into the pharmacy to complain, and the pharmacist on duty checked for other non-expired boxes of medication. However, all of that particular medication was expired, and the mother was forced to go to another nearby pharmacy to pick up her child’s medication. The mother explained that she was later informed that even if she had provided her baby with the expired medication, it would not have caused any injury, but it would not have worked as well as non-expired medication. However, the mother’s concern was that other similar and more serious errors may occur in the same manner.
The on-duty pharmacist explained that the pharmacy relies on an automated inventory system to ensure that the oldest medication is used first and that the system normally takes into account expiration dates.
Have You Been a Victim of a Maryland Pharmacy Error?
If you or a loved one has recently been a victim of a Maryland pharmacy error, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. While not every pharmacy error results in injuries, the repercussions of many errors are not immediately known. If you have been provided with the wrong medication, it is best that you speak with a dedicated Maryland pharmacy error attorney to discuss what you can do to preserve your rights should symptoms develop in the future. The skilled Maryland personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have extensive experience handling Maryland pharmacy error cases, and we are happy to speak with pharmacy error victims about their case. Call 410-654-3600 today to schedule a free consultation with an attorney.
More Blog Posts:
Workplace Pressure Is a Key Factor in the High Rate of Maryland Pharmacy Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, August 1, 2017.
Pharmacy Errors Involving Expired Medication, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, July 11, 2017.