Prescribed the Wrong Medication?

Taking the wrong prescription?

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Should you be prescribed incorrect medication, you could suffer serious consequences, depending on the drug involved and the length of time that it has been taken for.

Although in the vast majority of cases the correct medication is prescribed by a pharmacist and no harm will be experienced, it is vitally important that on receipt of a prescription you check the following three things:

• Is the packaging correct and clearly labelled with the name of the drug prescribed to you?
• Do the contents match those indicated on the box and the quantity included in line with what was prescribed to you?
• Is accompanying literature included and does this match the prescription indicated on the box?

It is vital to check the above before taking any type of medicine as unfortunately, mistakes do happen and these can lead to very serious consequences indeed.

How can you tell?

Some examples of errors made in prescribing medication are listed below.

• Chemist dispenses wrong drug

If a patient receives the wrong drug than they are prescribed this could be incredibly dangerous for two reasons, as it not only results in potential adverse reactions to the drug, but the patient is also not receiving the correct drug to treat their existing condition, which could worsen as a result.

• Patient receives incorrect quantity of drug

Often, medication is available in various doses and this can mean a patient could receive too much or too little of a drug. It goes without saying that this could have serious consequences for the patient. It is also important to note that children will require a different dose to adults.

• Patient prescribed for too long

If a patient is reissued the same drug repeatedly, sometimes for years, this can result in the patient receiving harmful levels of a drug that may not have been needed for the prescribed length of time. It is important to monitor at regular intervals how the drug is being taken and if it is necessary to the patient. The prolonged prescription of a drug can lead to side effects or, in very extreme cases, even death.

What can you do?

The consequences of an incorrect prescription can range from mild discomfort to catastrophic injury, illness or even death. In addition, errors can mean a loss of earnings, due to prolonged absence from work and extra medical costs. If you or someone you know has suffered from a prescription error, we can help you. Our experienced solicitors have helped thousands of victims of medical negligence to recover compensation for their pain or injury.

The settlement received has helped to pay for further medical costs that have been accrued as a result of incorrect prescriptions and the loss of earnings through time taken off work. For more information, visit our dedicated website Medicalnegligence-solicitors.com or call 0800 028 2060.