Pharmacy Medication Errors and Your Legal Rights
In healthcare, patient safety should always be a top priority. Unfortunately, even with the strictest protocols in place, medication errors can still occur—and when it comes to pharmacy medication errors, the consequences can be severe. While there is no uniform definition of ‘medical error’, the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting & Prevention defines a medication error as, “any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer.” Like medical doctors, pharmacists are profoundly responsible for their patients’ well-being. Yet, when pharmacists fail in their duty of care due to negligence or intentional misconduct, the consequences can be dire, potentially endangering lives.