People count on their pharmacists to provide them with the exact medication a doctor prescribes to them. Any errors with those medications can lead to patient harm.
Pharmacy malpractice can occur in various ways and may result in serious consequences for patients. It’s crucial for patients to understand some of the more common forms of pharmacy malpractice.
Dispensing errors
Dispensing errors occur when a pharmacist provides a patient with the wrong medication, incorrect dosage or improper instructions for use. This can happen due to various reasons, such as misreading a prescription, confusing medications with similar names or failing to verify patient information. Dispensing errors can lead to severe adverse effects, drug interactions or even life-threatening situations for the patient.
Failure to fully counsel
Pharmacists have a responsibility to educate patients about their medications. Failure to provide appropriate counseling can result in patients misusing their medications or experiencing preventable adverse effects. This type of malpractice might involve not warning a patient about potential side effects, neglecting to provide guidance on how to administer medication or failing to discuss possible drug interactions with other medications the patient is taking.
Negligent drug compounding
Compounding is the process of customizing medications to meet the specific needs of a patient, such as creating a liquid version of a medication for a patient who cannot swallow pills. Negligent drug compounding occurs when a pharmacist makes errors during the compounding process, resulting in an incorrect formulation, dosage or concentration of the medication. This can lead to serious health consequences for the patient, as the compounded medication may not have the desired therapeutic effect or may even be harmful.
Pharmacy malpractice can have serious consequences for patients. Seeking compensation may be possible, so consult with someone familiar with these matters.