Case in Point
Back when Claritin was given by prescription only, one Ohio woman had her prescription filled at a pharmacy and she couldn’t understand why she was constantly tired and her behavior was different. When she went to the pharmacy for a refill, it turned out someone had misinterpreted her doctor's prescription, written in cursive. The letters C and L in Claritin were seen as a large A. Instead of Claritin, she had been taking anti-anxiety medication Ativan for months.
Who is responsible for serious prescription errors?
In a story by FOX19, documents from the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy showed that among several other prescription error cases in recent years (including one where the patient died) the pharmacists involved were usually fined several hundred dollars and required to complete continuing pharmacy education.
While the pharmacist must sign off on all prescriptions filled and should be held accountable for mistakes, they are often working under stressful and demanding conditions that are fertile breeding grounds for serious dosage errors or medication errors.
The real culprit behind these errors? The big chain pharmacies that demand quotas for filling prescriptions and who have their pharmacists work 12 to 14 hour shifts, often without breaks.
Why do big-chain pharmacies do this?
The answer is straightforward and inexcusable: It costs less to hire untrained technicians than it does to hire more pharmacists. Instead of hiring more pharmacists, these chains hire pharmacy technicians, who are behind the counter filling prescriptions. Most states only require a high school diploma for pharmacy technicians.
Big companies are worried about their bottom line and corporate executives often never see the faces of prescription error victims.
Prescription errors victims can have their voice heard
No amount of fines can make up for a prescription error that caused a serious or permanent injury, or the loss of a loved one. But when you file a lawsuit against a pharmacy for a prescription error, dosage error, or pharmacy malpractice you will have a chance to make your voice heard and hold the negligent parties responsible.
Contact our firm today for a free case review. We work on a contingency fee basis, and are not paid unless we obtain a successful recovery for you.
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
