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• Is Your Kansas City Child Safe from Prescription Errors?

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Danger in the Drug Store

Statistics all the way back to 1998 point to a whopping 2.5 billion prescriptions dispensed in the United States annually. Of that number, more than two million were filled improperly, just in the state of Massachusetts alone. What does this mean for Kansas City families? The chance of becoming the victim of a pharmacy error is very real.

While the actual number is tough to pin down, the number of deaths annually from prescription errors is estimated between 44,000 and 98,000. Think about that for a minute. These deaths are caused by human mistake, and can be prevented.

What can go wrong in the pharmacy? Plenty, according to a study conducted by The Pharmacists Mutual insurance Company. In the study of 500 pharmacists, over 50 percent of mistakes were made when the wrong drug was dispensed to the patient. Another 27 percent of the errors involved the wrong strength of the medication being given, and over seven percent of errors were attributed back to the wrong directions given in the prescription. Another eight percent came from incorrect directions in the original order, although the pharmacy filled the prescription exactly as it was directed the wrong information was provided in the first place.

When a pharmacist fails to reach the standard of care owed to their patients, the question is then begged, how much of that error is the individual pharmacists responsible for? Pharmacists can be accountable for the mistakes that lead to injury and death. Many states have laws that hold the pharmacist who officially filled the prescription liable when a mistake is made. In the case of a pharmacy technician or a clerk, the pharmacy itself can be held liable.

There are things you can do to protect yourself from pharmacy errors. The following are steps that you as a patient can take to help cut down on your risk of becoming the victim of a pharmacy error.

1. Look over the written prescription yourself before you leave the doctor's office. Docotrs are notorious for bad handwriting; make sure the writing is legible.

2. Ask questions. Find out the dosage, the strength, and the length of the prescription from your doctor. Ask the pharmacist as well. Be sure the doctor's instructions and the pharmacist's explanation of the prescription match.

3. Read the label. Speak up if there is something that you do not understand. If you are in doubt, insist that the pharmacist open the container and confirm the dosage and the strength of the prescription.

4. Ask the pharmacist about potential interactions with other medicines, including supplements and herbal remedies, before you leave the pharmacy.

5. If you are waited on by a pharmacy technician or clerk, be sure to ask if the pharmacist filled the order. Do not hesitate to insist that you speak with the pharmacist if you are in any doubt.

Some estimates place the number of people who visit the emergency room due to a pharmacy error around 700,000 every year. Given this staggering statistic, it is necessary to speak up and ask for clarification if you are in any doubt. If you or a family member has been affected by a pharmacy error, the Kansas City pharmacy error attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys offer an initial consultation at no cost or obligation to you. For more information, contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys at 888-348-2616. Download your free copy of the resource guide The Truth About Medical Malpractice Claims for further information.

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