The pharmacist printed the wrong label on my medication and caused an overdose.

Medicine is intended to treat illnesses and help make you well. You depend on your doctors to prescribe medication appropriate for your ailments, at the correct dosage and take proper precaution against any known allergies you may have. You also depend on the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to correctly fill the prescription and label the medication correctly, according to the doctor’s prescription for you. If any of these things do not happen as they should, your health is at risk.

Responsibilities of the Doctor

Physicians have many responsibilities and duties to their patients including a Duty to Warn. This means physicians have a duty to warn patients of potential risks and complications of prescribed medications. Some have made legal arguments that the drug manufacturer should have responsibility for this duty to warn, but courts continue to put the accountability on the doctors. Other responsibilities include:

• Prescribing within limits of competence.
• Evidence-based prescribing.
• Interaction with other drugs.
• Concordance, tolerability and formulation.
• Adverse effects.
• Checking dosages.
• Using prescribing formularies.
• Keeping up to date and following clinical guidelines, where available, from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) or Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).
• Using electronic systems where available that can enhance the safety of prescribing.
• Responsible delegation of prescribing administration and dispensing.

Responsibilities of the Pharmacist

Responsibilities of pharmacists may vary among the different areas of pharmacy practice, but ultimately pharmacists assist patients in getting and remaining well. Pharmacist responsibilities include an array of care for patients, from providing medications to supervising patient health and progress to maximize their response to the medicine.

Communicating Correct Dosages

One vital step pharmacists must complete is appropriate communication with prescribing physicians. Although the doctor writes the prescription and dosage, if a prescription order is not clear or potentially harmful for a patient, the pharmacist should confirm the dosage and formulation (e.g., liquid or tablet), as well as whether a brand name product is required or if a generic medication can be substituted. This would also include printing and applying the correct labels on bottles. Results can be disastrous if instructions for one medication or patient are placed on the bottle for a different medication or patient.

Oklahoma City Pharmaceutical Error Attorneys

If you have suffered a serious injury or loss due to medical negligence, it is important for you to talk with experienced legal counsel as soon as possible. Our legal and medical team will provide you necessary guidance for this type of legal issue. To schedule a free initial consultation, please contact us at 405-235-4500.