The Top 7 Most Common Prescription Drug Errors
By Craig Knapp on September 20, 2021

Prescription drug errors can leave patients with debilitating physical injuries resulting in lasting disabilities and physical pain and suffering. One of the best ways to avoid prescription drug errors is to educate yourself about how and when they occur.

The following offers an overview of prescription drug errors and information on protecting yourself from becoming a victim of a prescription drug mistake. If you have specific questions about a prescription drug error suffered by yourself or a loved one, contact an experienced medication & prescription errors lawyer in Phoenix.

What is a Prescription Drug Error?

A prescription drug error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is controlled by the health care professional, patient, or consumer.

When do Prescription Drug Errors Occur?

Prescription drug errors can occur in the prescribing, order communication, product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use of a prescription drug.

Typical cases of prescription drug error include:

• Incorrect diagnosis;
• Prescribing errors;
• Dose miscalculations;
• Poor drug distribution practices;
• Drug and drug device-related problems;
• Incorrect drug administration;
• Failed communication; and
• Lack of patient education.

7 Frequently Cited Prescription Drug Errors

Preventable prescription drug errors occur when systems for safely prescribing and ordering medication fail or are not appropriately used. Seven of the most cited prescription drug errors are as follows:

1. Illegible handwritten prescriptions;
2. Insufficient or missing information about co-prescribed medications and allergies;
3. Selection of an incorrect drug or dose;
4. Mistaken spoken prescriptions due to sound-alike names;
5. Drugs with similar-looking names are incorrectly dispensed when prescriptions are handwritten;
6. Failure to transmit a medication to a pharmacy, or a fill a prescription; and
7. Physician sampling of medications without adequate documentation and drug utilization review.

Preventing Prescription Drug Errors

To prevent errors caused by drug administration, patients need to be aware that mistakes occur and take an active role in understanding any drug information being communicated to them. When accepting a prescription drug, be clear on the following:

• The name of the drug;
• Why you are taking the drug;
• How much and how often to take the drug;
• How long to take the drug;
• Any side effects of the drug;
• What to do about a missed dose;
• Common drug interactions; and
• Whether the new drug replaces any old drugs or therapies.

Also, communicate to your doctor if you are taking any over-the-counter medications, at what dosage, and how often.

Contact an Experienced Arizona Prescription Drug Error Attorney

If you or your loved one were the victims of prescription drug error, contact one of the experienced attorneys at Knapp & Roberts. Victims of medical malpractice need knowledgeable, competent legal counsel to guide them through the complexities of prescription drug error litigation.

At Knapp & Roberts, our prescription drug error attorneys are compassionate towards and understanding of victims of medical negligence. We are determined to hold at-fault parties responsible for their negligence and get you the compensation you deserve to help you move forward with your life.

Contact Knapp & Roberts now to schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our skilled attorneys.