Check Your Child’s Prescription for Labeling Errors

People rarely give much thought to the labels on prescription bottles or medication packages; however, correct labels are necessary to ensure patients’ safety. Pharmacists are supposed to ensure that medication labels are accurate, that they typed up the information correctly, and that they affixed the label to the correct bottle or package. Just as pharmacists and technicians make mistakes when it comes to mixing up medications, they also have been known to make labeling errors that result in serious consequences.

The labels on medication bottles should contain the following:

• Patient’s name
• Name of the drug
• Dose
• Time of day the medication should be taken
• Warnings and side effects of the drug

Incorrect labeling occurs when the wrong information is typed onto the medication label. When prescriptions are incorrectly labeled, patients can end up taking the wrong dose or the wrong medication. Even the slightest mistake on a prescription label can cause victims, especially children, to suffer serious injuries or death.

Sadly, complications involving medication mistakes can cause liver damage, kidney damage, or other internal organ damage. For this reason, every patient should review his prescriptions with pharmacists to ensure how the drug should be taken and to understand the warnings. This is especially necessary for parents picking up their children’s prescriptions, as children have a greater chance to be harmed by labeling errors.

If your son or daughter suffered at the hands of a negligent pharmacist who incorrectly labeled your child’s prescription, you should find out about your legal rights. For help seeking fair compensation, call Kennedy Hodges, L.L.P. at 888-526-7616 to speak with an experienced pharmacy malpractice lawyer. You will receive a complimentary case consultation and a FREE copy of our report, How to Make Pharmacies Pay for Injuries Caused by Medication Errors.