Drug Errors Prevalent in the United States
December 5, 2002
A new medical malpractice study conducted by a consumer interest group has shed new light on the prevalence of prescribed medication errors in the United States. Released Wednesday, the US Pharmacopeia study examined 100,000 cases of medication error, determining that over 7,000 Americans die each year from taking the wrong type or dose of a drug. The study found that mistakes involving morphine, insulin and blood thinning agents are the most common errors that lead to death or serious injury.
Researchers involved in the study reveal that often, a physician's poor handwriting can lead to a pharmacist dispensing the wrong medication. Similar looking labels on different types of drugs have also led to numerous prescription mistakes. According to the study, more than 50 percent of the time medication errors involve overworked or inexperienced medical staff.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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