Pharmaceutical Litigation
It's a Matter of Trust...
In this age of wonder drugs and generic drug substitutes, the consumer must rely on the skill of the pharmacist to ensure that the proper medication is dispensed. Surveys show pharmacists to be the most trusted professionals in the country — with that trust comes a tremendous responsibility.
The rise of large corporate pharmacies has placed unacceptable demands on pharmacists. The pressure to increase profits and the volume of sales results in thousands of errors each year. It is the unsuspecting customer who suffers the consequences.
Pharmaceutical Regulations
Are They Working?
While ensuring that the medication prescribed is the medication delivered may be the pharmacist's ultimate duty, it is not his only duty. Statutes, regulations and the common law mandate additional services be provided by the pharmacy when dispensing a prescription.
There are eight basic hazards associated with the dispensing of prescription medication, and it is the pharmacist's duty to evaluate each of these potential complications each time a prescription is filled. They are:
- Potential Drug Therapy Duplication
- Drug-Disease Contraindications
- Drug-Drug Interactions
- Incorrect Drug Dosage
- Incorrect Duration of Treatment
- Drug-Allergy Interactions
- Clinical Abuse or Misuses
- Defective Medication
A failure to adequately protect a customer from these risks can cause just as serious an injury as filling a prescription with the wrong medication.