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Pharmacy errors can be serious for patients

On Behalf of | Aug 28, 2015 | Doctor Errors

Adverse drug reactions cause more than 100,000 deaths in the United States each year. According to HealthDay, some of these tragedies occur as the result of a pharmacy mistake. Pharmacists have a busy and stressful job, especially in today’s industry when many pharmacy companies cut down on staff to save on costs. This situation can be exacerbated with the higher demand for prescription medications that pharmacists experience in Massachusetts and elsewhere.

What are some of the mistakes made at a pharmacy that might negatively impact a patient? A report by the National Center for Biotechnology Information states that a medication error by a pharmacist could result in the following situations:

  • Inability to read a doctor’s handwriting leading to a delay in treatment
  • The wrong dosage being given to a patient
  • The wrong medication being prescribed
  • Unnecessary medical tests being ordered

Pharmacists and pharmacy assistants are expected to take care of a vast number of customers each day. As a result, overworked and rushed staff may incorrectly fill a prescription with a drug having a similar-sounding name but different functions, prescribe an adult dosage to a child or make any other type of mistake that compromises the health and safety of their patients.

Millions of people across the country trust their pharmacists to correctly interpret a doctor’s order and to be knowledgeable and accurate with each prescription they fill. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. A pharmacy mistake may lead to serious consequences for patients, as well as medical malpractice lawsuits.