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Medication Errors

In a study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences, it was reported that more than 7,000 Americans die each year from medication errors. These errors include dispensing the wrong medication, as well as prescribing incorrect dosages. In fact, data collected from Jury Verdict Research, Marsh Inc., and the Risk Management Foundation, shows that the most common cause of a medical negligence claim against hospitals is for medication errors.

The following are examples of medication errors:

• Prescribing the wrong dosage based upon a patient's physical condition or age
• Prescribing the wrong medication for the condition being treated
• Failing to make inquiry of patients concerning their history of drug allergies
• Transcribing the incorrect drug name or an illegible drug name from the pharmacy prescription
• Prescribing the administration of medicine at the wrong time or through the wrong route
• Neglecting to medicate a patient consistent with a doctor's instructions

In addition, the use of prescription drugs for "off-label" uses poses problems in the area of medication errors. Off-label prescribing has become a common practice as physicians feel patients can benefit from taking some drugs for uses they were not initially intended for. This practice is legal but leaves room for greater errors as there are no specific doses recommended for these uses. Prescribing drugs to children is especially difficult since 70 percent of drugs do not come with pediatric safety guidelines. While commonly prescribed medications for children such as antibiotics, asthma drugs and analgesics have been well studied in adults, the majority of drugs prescribed to children are off-label, creating a guessing game when it comes to determining proper dosage. With children, doctors tend to scale back dosage and frequency but neglect the significance of their differing metabolic rates. Because of this fact, children can be prescribed too little or too much of a medication with devastating results. The room for prescription error, therefore, is significant.

The medical profession is filled with outstanding doctors who exemplify the highest standards of patient care. But sometimes the wrong medication or the wrong dosage of a medication is prescribed, often due to the hectic nature of hospitals, thus making it difficult to get all of the medication and prescription orders correct. If you believe you or a family member has suffered due to an error in your prescribed medication, you have a right to sue for damages and the costs that it may take to correct those damages. You can contact our Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Lawyers to help you get the appropriate compensation for your medication error claim.

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