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Administering the wrong medication to a patient is one of the leading types of medical negligence that causes serious injury and illness. Wrong medication can lead to serious problems for patients. Medical professionals need to make sure that they take full and accurate histories of patients before giving them any medication.
A patient receiving the wrong medication can be the result of different mistakes such as:
- being given the correct medication, but the wrong amount of it;
- being given a medication that the patient is allergic to;
- being given the wrong medication because of misdiagnosis of disease;
- being given a contaminated medication;
- a doctor's bad handwriting leading to a pharmacist giving the patient the wrong medication;
- being given more than one medication at a time when the medications do not react well together. This can include over-the-counter medications such as herbal supplements that are not tested by the Food and Drug Administration.
Children and infants are particularly at risk for health problems resulting from being given the wrong medication. Children do not have as strong immune systems as adults, which makes them more vulnerable to medication mistakes. The amount of medicine given to a child is very important when giving drugs to children because of specific age and weight factors. Overdose is more likely in children who are given the wrong medication than in adults. |
PERSONAL INJURY
