How Can Florida Pharmacies Make Medication Mistakes?

All medication carries risks. Even over-the-counter painkillers can be fatal if taken improperly. But, what if you received a prescription that was not intended for you—or prescribed an amount that could make you sick, or worse?

Over the years, Florida pharmacy errors have been steadily increasing. If the pharmacist does not catch the mistake in time, the consequences of these mistakes can be severe—even fatal—for the patient.

• Wrong medication. There are many ways this can happen. The prescription may look like another medication, be a liquid or topical version of the medication, or be intended for another patient with a similar name.
• Improper dosage. Patients may be given the correct medication, but an incorrect dosage on the label, causing unwelcome side effects or even overdose.
• Medication interactions and allergies. Your pharmacist should have a full record of which drugs you are currently taking, and check it against new prescriptions to avoid adverse reactions when combined. If a drug is known to cause an allergic reaction, your pharmacist has a duty to communicate this to you before you leave with the medication.
• Understaffing. Many pharmacies have only one pharmacist on staff, increasingly relying on pharmacy techs. While many technicians are perfectly competent, some less experienced or overworked techs may not follow through on orders to the proper degree.
• Unethical priorities. Some larger pharmacies rely on the number of prescriptions filled to make their money, thus attempting to fill the largest number of prescriptions possible. As a result, less time is spent on each customer—sometimes as little as two minutes per prescription—which may not be enough time to double-check for safety.
• Overworked staff. Many pharmacies are noted as being open 24 hours. While this may be convenient, the pharmacy has to be staffed every hour of the day. If there are not enough techs at a location, these techs can work ten-hour shifts, increasing the chance of a prescription error due to distraction or exhaustion.

Fortunately, there are ways that patients can check their own medications to avoid Palm Beach pharmacy errors. These precautions, combined with advice from an experienced Florida accident attorney, can ensure your family is protected against harmful medication mistakes. If someone you love was injured due to a prescription drug error, call Fetterman & Associates at (866) 865-1244 for a free consultation.