Doctors in the United States have access to prescribe more than 10,000 different medications and nearly one in three adults takes five or more medications according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.* While these drugs have made life better for most, tragic errors have occurred in the inappropriate prescription, dispensing, or use of those drugs. Accordingly, an “adverse drug event” (or ADE) is responsible for approximately 700,000 emergency room visits and 100,000 hospitalizations per year. In addition, ADE's occur on approximately 5% of hospitalized patients and are one of the most frequently occurring types of impatient errors.

Pharmacy Filling Errors and Inappropriate Prescriptions

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A pharmaceutical or medication error can happen in the hospital, doctor's office, pharmacy, or in your own home. A medication error is defined as “any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer.” Pharmaceutical or medication errors may be related to failures in prescribing, communication of orders, labeling of products, product packaging, product naming, compounding by a pharmacist, or dispensing of medication.

If you or a loved one has suffered through a pharmaceutical or medication error in Lakeland, Polk County, or the greater Central Florida area, please contact a medical malpractice attorney for a free consultation. A medical malpractice attorney with experience reviewing pharmaceutical or drug issues can help identify the specific medical issues related to the use of the medication and what may be causing the particular problem. If you believe that you have a case involving a dangerous drug or a pharmaceutical error, please contact an attorney to discuss the merits of your case.

*(https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primers/primer/23/medication-errors)