sequoiaseniorsolutionsblog.com
Have you ever been given wrong medication from the pharmacy?
It happens to seniors at home more than you think it does.
Pharmacy mistakes happen one out of five times.
A study in Auburn University in Alabama of 100 community pharmacies found blunders in one out of every five prescriptions. Common errors include incorrectly transferring the doctor’s instructions onto the label—like leaving out “Take before dinner” on a diabetes drug—or mistaking one drug for another with a similar look or name. Other times the pharmacist got the dosage wrong or the customer got someone else’s prescription.
How can you protect yourself?
- Drug counseling at the pharmacy counter caught 89% of errors, another study showed. These problems were corrected before the customer even left the store. If you take the time to review the medications with the pharmacist, check the dosage and review what the doctor says this can be a big help, especially if this is a new medicine.
- If you are refilling a prescription, open the container in the store to make sure it is what you are used to taking. Medications can look different from one refill to the next; the pharmacy may have switched to a generic that is a different color or shape. When you look at the pills, you have the right to ask about the change and if this is still the right medication for your condition.
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