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Why do children receive wrong dosages of medication when most doctors use electronic prescriptions now to cut down on pharmacy errors?

 

A:

While electronic prescribing does help reduce pharmacy errors by preventing confusion over hard-to-read prescriptions, medication mistakes can still happen and cause children to suffer as a result. Sometimes, the wrong dosage is selected by the doctor and sent to the pharmacist incorrectly at the very beginning; however, most wrong medication errors occur at the pharmacy level.

Pharmacists are sometimes overworked and in a hurry. When this happens, they may misread a prescription and fill an adult dosage for a child. Other times, pharmacists may read the prescription and then reach for a sound-alike or look-alike medication by mistake. Unfortunately there is a lot going on at pharmacies that can cause distractions, which can lead to child medication errors in Texas.

Sometimes a pharmacist may accidently grab another person’s medication and hand it to you. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re receiving the correct medication:

  • When you are handed the prescription, be sure to check the label on the bottle or box to make sure the correct name is listed.
  • Read the label and repeat back to the pharmacist the name of the drug, and ask if this is correct.
  • If the prescription is in pill form, open the bottle or box, and take out a pill. Show it to the pharmacist and ask if this is the pill that matches the prescription.
  • Look over the instructions for taking the medicine, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on dosaging.
  • If the patient is taking any other over-the-counter or prescription medications, be sure to ask the pharmacist if there may be any drug interactions.

 

If your child has suffered at the hands of a negligent pharmacist, you have rights to pursue a pharmacy malpractice claim for damages. To find out about your rights, please call an experienced pharmacy error attorney at Kennedy Hodges today:  888-526-7616. You can also fill out an online website form to receive a FREE copy of our report, How to Make Pharmacies Pay for Your Injuries Caused by Medication Errors.


David W. Hodges
by David W. Hodges
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