Medication Error Blog
Posted on Feb 15, 2012 By Scott Distasio
An investigation by the California Department of Public Health uncovered numerous pharmacy errors made in nursing homes . During the course of the probe, officials found one woman with a history of ...
Continue reading "Nursing Home Pharmacy Errors Linked to Illegal Kickbacks" »
Posted on Feb 13, 2012 By Scott Distasio
A Novartis medication plant in Lincoln, Nebraska manufactures both over the counter medications like Excedrin and powerful prescription painkillers like Percocet. Due to a potential medicine mix-up , ...
Continue reading "Medication Recalled Due to Concerns of Prescription Painkillers Being Mixed with Over the Counter Drugs" »
Posted on Jan 28, 2012 By Scott Distasio
In 2007, New Jersey teen Scott Simon attended a party and took the Xanax another party-goer was passing out. Then 17, Simon fell into a coma after taking the drugs. Instead of calling for help, the ...
Continue reading "Does Partier Deserve Compensation for Overdosing On Someone Else's Stolen Drugs?" »
Posted on Jan 23, 2012 By Scott Distasio
I recently discussed the dual problems of accidental overdose in children and accidental overdose of acetaminophen. The Food and Drug Administration's attempts at reducing the risk of both may ...
Continue reading "Changes to Infant Medicines May Confuse Parents and Increase Risk of Overdose" »
Posted on Jan 18, 2012 By Scott Distasio
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists examined a program in which hospital pharmacists were involved in discharging patients. According to the study, the percentage of patients discharged ...
Continue reading "Pharmacist Medication Review During Hospital Stay May Reduce Errors" »
Posted on Jan 15, 2012 By Scott Distasio
The results of a new study on the dangers of acetaminophen has revealed “staggered overdoses” may be just as dangerous as a single, larger overdose . A “staggered overdose” ...
Continue reading "Even Small Overdoses of Tylenol Can Be Deadly" »
Posted on Jan 12, 2012 By Scott Distasio
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control have found that a high number of children suffer from accidental overdoses each year. More than 60,000 kids are treated in U.S. emergency rooms because ...
Continue reading "Drug Overdoses In Kids Increasing" »
Posted on Jan 8, 2012 By Scott Distasio
Like many, Lynsey Lee turned to birth control pills to help relieve her severe menstrual symptoms. But after her doctor prescribed Yaz, Lynsey began feeling worse rather than better. Soon after ...
Continue reading "Did Bayer Sell Yaz Birth Control Pill Knowing it Increased Risk for Blood Clots" »
Posted on Jan 4, 2012 By Scott Distasio
A California Health Department investigation uncovered a medication storage problem at Kaiser Foundation Hospital South San Fransisco. The investigation began when two patients received pneumonia ...
Continue reading "Hospital's Drug Storage Mistake Puts Thousands At Risk" »
Posted on Dec 18, 2011 By Scott Distasio
According to Oregon health officials, an alarming number of pharmacists are confusing two very different prescription drugs. Over the last three months the drugs Trazadone, used to treat anxiety, ...
Continue reading "Similar Name Prescription Errors Can Cause Personal Injury" »
Posted on Dec 13, 2011 By Scott Distasio
A Miami man was admitted to the North Shore Medical Center's ICU after a dialysis session in July of 2010 when he experienced difficulty breathing. When he complained of an upset stomach, his ...
Continue reading "Hospital Patient Dies in Miami After Receiving Paralytic Instead of Antacid" »
Posted on Dec 11, 2011 By Scott Distasio
Part of a doctor's job is making sure his or her patient is not given the wrong medicines . Doctors make sure their patients are not on prescriptions that will interact badly with one another. ...
Continue reading "Home Health Patients at Higher Risk of Medication Interactions" »
Posted on Dec 8, 2011 By Scott Distasio
A new study shows four medication groups are responsible for two thirds of emergency hospitalizations for patients over 65. The New York Times reports the drugs are often prescribed, but difficult to ...
Continue reading "Four Commonly Used Medicines Cause Most Drug Related Hospitalizations for Older Adults" »
Posted on Dec 2, 2011 By Scott Distasio
October ended in tragedy for the family of six month old Amaan Ahmmad. The infant was rushed to Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn for treatment of a fever. Emergency room doctors determined ...
Continue reading "Hospital Drug Overdose Kills Infant" »
Posted on Nov 21, 2011 By Scott Distasio
York Hospital in central Pennsylvania is home to what industry experts are heralding as breakthrough technology. In this teaching hospital, the IV systems are computerized and automated, linking ...
Continue reading "Will Automated IV Systems Reduce Hospital Medication Errors?" »
Posted on Nov 16, 2011 By
Darlene Felt died in December 2010 after she repeatedly received the wrong dose of potassium chloride. While the drug can be used to treat chronic heart problems, potassium chloride is also used in ...
Continue reading "Patient Died Due to Misread Prescription" »
Posted on Nov 14, 2011 By
A North Carolina woman, Lori Smith, went to the Rowan County Health Department last year when she developed flu-like symptoms. Diagnosed with pink eye, she was given a prescription for ...
Continue reading "CVS Gave Woman Ear Drops Instead of Eye Drops" »
Posted on Oct 25, 2011 By
Despite his pharmacology training and advocating on her behalf, Joe Graedon's mother, Helen, died when the hospital gave the wrong medication. He told caregivers repeatedly that she could not tolerate ...
Continue reading "Mother's Death Due to Hospital Drug Mistake Prompts Book" »
Posted on Oct 15, 2011 By
Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount, North Carolina has a new pharmacy team member, MACK. MACK, McKesson Automated Cartfill King, is an automated prescription dispensing system - a robot pharmacist. ...
Continue reading "Will Robot Pharmacists Reduce Prescription Errors?" »
Posted on Oct 10, 2011 By
Ron Apenbrinck took his prescription for Hydrocodone to his local Walgreens expecting to get pain medication for his hernia. KMOV.com reported he was given the wrong medication by the pharmacy and he ...
Continue reading "Walgreens Pharmacy Error Nearly Costs A Man His Life" »
Posted on Oct 8, 2011 By
In an effort to reduce prescription drug addiction, the Florida government has cracked down on pain clinics, banning them from selling narcotic drugs to patients. As of July 1, 2011, clinics are only ...
Continue reading "Florida Pain Clinics Try to Avoid Regulation by Opening Pharmacies" »
Posted on Sep 27, 2011 By
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals has recalled 1.4 million packages of eight different birth control products. According to Reporter News , the company released a statement through the FDA explaining select ...
Continue reading "Birth Control Pill Packaging Error Could lead to Unwanted Pregnancy" »
Posted on Sep 21, 2011 By
The downturn in the economy has affected everyone. Now not only is it affecting jobs and debt, it is interfering with some peoples' ability to get their prescription medications filled. The problem is ...
Continue reading "Patients Can't Get Medications Due to Economic Slump" »
Posted on Sep 17, 2011 By
Eurekalert.org reported t he American Psychological Association's Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied published a special issue examining ways to reduce medical errors and improve patient ...
Continue reading "Research in Brain Function Meant to Reduce Medication Errors" »
Posted on Sep 13, 2011 By
A new study reports more than 50 percent of all drug reactions treated in emergency rooms could have been prevented. Researchers in Sweden also reported many preventable drug mistakes , including ...
Continue reading "Study Shows More Than Half of Medication Mistakes Are Avoidable" »