According to reports, the mother went to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for her daughter. The bag had her daughter’s name on the outside, but the bottle and medication inside the bag belonged to another patient.
A pharmacist not involved in the case attempted to explain how prescriptions are filled, hoping to reinstill the faith that people have in pharmacies and their workers. According to this pharmacist, people in her profession are the last line before a drug is passed into the hands of a patient. The people on this line should be triple checking to be sure that they are not handing over what amounts to a mistake.
Here is how it should go:
A pharmacy receives a prescription from a doctor. The technician enters all pertinent information into a computer and the pharmacist approves the medication. The tech may then fill the prescription and, again, the pharmacist must give approval. The medication is then packaged and made ready for pick up.
Mistakes can happen, but it should be rare if everyone follows the process that has been implemented by pharmacies around the country.
What will happen in this case is being watched closely.
If you believe that you have been injured due to a mistake in medication, please call our office. A member of our team will review the details of your case and advise you how to best proceed. Call us now.
