high law office, pllc
Pharmacist Liability
At some time in his or her life, just about everyone takes a prescribed medication for one ailment or another. People take these medications believing they are completely safe when prescribed by a doctor. Still, there are interactions and side effects that can change a reasonably safe medication into something less effective and, more often than one would like to believe, even dangerous. Recognizing these interactions and effects requires a comprehensive view into the patient’s pharmaceutical history comes into play and that is where a pharmacist may become liable.
With the advent of modern computers and networks, pharmacists now have a much wider view of the patient’s pharmacological history. It takes only a few keystrokes and a matter of seconds to reveal to the pharmacist just what the patient’s has been prescribed and in what dosages – in a time-line display – that can allow the pharmacist to make determinations based on information the prescribing doctor may have been unaware. This includes medications prescribed by other doctors, over-the-counter medications, and other chemicals such as alcohol that can adversely affect the effects of the drugs.
There are generally three considerations that can affect pharmacist liability: If he spots a possible interaction between two or more drugs, if he notices an oddity in dosages (such as excessively high dose or a difference between injectible and oral forms of drugs), or the pharmacist becomes aware of side effects during a refill. In some states, it is the pharmacist’s responsibility to warn patients of potential side effects in addition to the doctor’s warnings.
Today, more than ever before in history, pharmacists are becoming a greater part of the patient treatment process, and, thus, are being held more accountable for the drugs that are being prescribed. As part of the treatment process, pharmacists need to provide greater information to patients. Failure to provide necessary information that can adversely affect a patient’s health can make a pharmacist liable of malpractice, just like any medical doctor. Any pharmacist that makes errors or mistakes should be held accountable.
We have successfully handled pharmacy claims and medication errors. Act fast as Tennessee has a one-year statute of limitations. Contact us for a free case evaluation.
