One common area of medical malpractice that New Jersey residents fall victim to is medication errors. These errors are defined as preventable events that cause inappropriate medication use and patient harm. They can occur at any point throughout the cycle, including when a drug is prescribed, when the prescription is being filled, and when it is being taken by a patient.
Medication errors are not uncommon
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration receives more than 100,000 complaints annually of suspected medication errors. The FDA researches all of these complaints to determine whether or not an error occurred. In cases of medical negligence due to a medication error, the patient may experience a life-threatening situation.
Tips for reducing medication errors
One of the best ways to help reduce medication errors is to have distinct and legible codes imprinted on every tablet. This helps both the consumer and the health care provider to determine the specific type of medication that the tablet is. This is extremely helpful for providers who are speaking to a patient for the first time and trying to evaluate which medications they are currently on.
The package that a product comes in highly affects how a consumer uses it. For this reason, it’s important for different types of medications to be packaged in different containers. For example, medication drops for the eyes, ears or nasal cavities should not be in a similar-looking container as medication to be applied topically to the skin. This could cause confusion on the part of the user of the product..
Unfortunately, medication errors are still a problem. By understanding where the confusion lies, experts can make new suggestions and laws regarding the packaging and prescribing of these medications. If you believe that you’ve experienced a medication error, it’s advisable to speak to an attorney about your rights.