By: John Uustal, Founding Partner of Kelly | Uustal
Crazy to think, “is your pharmacy poisoning you” right? Absolutely not! A recent New York Times investigation revealed that Walgreens pharmacy sometimes dispenses the wrong medication or the wrong dose. The problem was so serious that it alarmed senior management. And the danger is hardly limited to Walgreens.
The ugly truth is that pharmacies across the nation are putting overworked staff under tremendous pressure to quickly fill an avalanche of prescriptions. Speed— as opposed to quality and accuracy— is dictating how employees work and how they are trained, rated, and compensated.
As a law firm focused on corporate criminality, we also represent the victims of this pharmaceutical malpractice.
Take the case of our client Minnie Guider, a sweet 92-year old with a love of life and absolute joy for her grandchildren.To treat her bladder incontinence, her doctor prescribed Oxybutrin, which she filled through the mail-in pharmacy. Seems routine enough except for one nightmarish problem: through our discovery process, we found that pharmacy technicians erroneously sent Minnie a different drug: Glyburide. In a horrifying twist of fate, the Glyburide put Minnie into a hyperglycemic coma, leading to an irreversible brain injury. Her once-active life would never be the same.
We won a multi-million dollar verdict mainly because the jury was shocked at how many prescription errors were being committed on a daily basis. The pharmacy was able to get the verdict reversed on appeal, and then It took a lot more fighting before we finally won the case and got the justice that Minnie deserved.
She was lucky. Many times no one ever figures out that a pharmacy error was to blame.
So I ask: Is your pharmacy poisoning you?
To learn more or if you think your pharmacy may be poisoning you or a loved one, contact us below!
