Medication Errors

Dangerous medication errors occur due to many reasons, including unsafe prescribing practices, or failure to follow protocols for filling prescriptions can result in dangerous medication errors. Safe drugs can be very harmful if prescribed to the wrong patient. When medications aren't properly identified, patients can be harmed if given the wrong medication or even if given the right medication but in the wrong doses. Sometimes, medication errors lead to devastating consequences. When this occurs, patients and their families may be entitled to compensation. Here are examples of cases where specific prescription drug errors have occurred:

• Improper/excessive application of Fentanyl pain medication patches that resulted in severe overdose and ultimate death.
• Improper use of Risperdal when contraindicated, resulting in injury to patient and death.
• Prescribing the wrong antibiotic in a meningitis case, resulting in devastating infection in a child
• Death resulting from accidental overdose of Methadone, prescribed by patient's family physician