Most people in America have heard of medical malpractice. This phrase frequently conjures up images of negligent doctors and harmful nurses, but very few people realize that pharmacies and pharmacists can be sued for malpractice as well.
The scary part of it is that pharmacy negligence and malpractice are far more common than doctor and nurse malpractice. Many people are the victims of pharmacy error and negligence without realizing it. Knowledge is power and to ensure that you are not unknowingly the victim of pharmacist negligence, it’s important to be aware of the most common reasons why pharmacists get sued.
Below, learn more about what leads to pharmacy malpractice and what to do if it happens to you.
3 Reasons Pharmacists Are Sued for Medical Malpractice
Providing the Wrong Medication
Whenever you go to the pharmacist, it’s important that you are provided with the correct medication. No pharmacist should ever do otherwise. However, pharmacists may accidentally provide their patients with the wrong medication.
No matter the reason for the mistake, providing the wrong medication puts the pharmacist at risk of medical malpractice since it can lead to serious side effects for the patient.
Failing to Consider Medical History
Have you ever noticed that whenever you go to pick up your medication, the pharmacist or pharmacy technician asks you about your medical history and if you are allergic to any medications? Most states require pharmacists to consider medical history when filling prescriptions.
The purpose of this is to make sure that you are not being prescribed medications that you are knowingly allergic to. It is the pharmacist’s duty to refuse to fill the medication and determine an alternative if the original prescription is for a medication or contains ingredients that you are allergic to.
Failing to Screen Multiple Prescriptions
Today, it is not uncommon for individuals to be prescribed multiple medications at once. Most states require the pharmacist to screen a patient’s prescriptions to ensure that they don’t have any adverse reactions to one another.
Likewise, it is your responsibility to provide the pharmacist with a list of medications that you are taking, including those that are over-the-counter. This will give the pharmacist the information they need to determine if your medications are safe to take concurrently.
What To Do If You Have Experienced Any Of These Situations
If you have been the victim of pharmacy error, it might feel as though you can no longer depend on pharmacies. This is a dreadful feeling to have since pharmacies are responsible for providing you with potentially life-saving medications. Instead of ignoring the problem, it’s up to you to hold the pharmacy accountable for its errors.
Even if your side effects were not severe, that does not mean you should ignore the situation. Just because you did not have a serious side effect does not mean everyone will be as lucky. Pharmacy errors can have serious consequences for the patient, including overdose, poisoning, and even death.
Because of the severe side effects associated with pharmacy error and medical malpractice, it’s important to act fast to hold the negligent parties accountable.
If you or a loved one has experienced side effects because of a pharmacy error, contact an experienced pharmacy malpractice attorney to determine if you have a case.
Pharmacy errors can cause death or significant health concerns. If you think that you have been harmed due to a
Pharmacy negligence results in 1.5 million injuries to people in the US each year. These errors happen in the hospital
Pharmacists are required by law and by definition of their duties to provide specific care to their customers and patients
