Failure To Properly Administer Medication

Most people do not know enough about medicine to choose the drugs they need or make prescription recommendations.  They need a doctor or pharmacist with years of schooling and training to make diagnoses and treat people.  Unfortunately, despites these years of schooling and training, doctors and pharmacists still make mistakes with medications that could be avoided.

Medication must be administered properly in order for it to work.  Patients who do not get the medication that they need, or if the medication is not dispensed properly, will not get the benefits of the medication they are or should be receiving.  The results of these errors can be very significant and possibly even deadly.

Failures in dispensing medication include:

• Failing to distribute the proper dosage of a medication to patient.  If the dosage administered is too high there can be terrible consequences.  If the dosage is too little, the underlying condition will not be treated.
• Dispensing the incorrect medication, or medication at the wrong strength.
• Not dispensing medication correctly (such as using the wrong methods when distributing the medication).
• Administering two drugs that when they interact can have serious consequences.  Patients have the responsibility to honestly tell their doctor of all the supplements and drugs they are using.  However, the doctor is responsible for knowing if there are any risks of interaction.

Doctors are only able to make recommendations about medications based on known information.  The drug manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the possible risks do not outweigh the benefits.  However, a doctor is the party responsible for following protocol with regards to administering the drugs while the patient is in the hospital, though a patient can opt out of taking the drug after hearing the risks.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of a medication error, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case.  They will review medical documentation closely and work with medical experts to show if the doctor or hospital staff deviated from the appropriate standard of care.  You may be able to receive compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering that you experienced because of the medical malpractice.

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.