Franklin Gray and White Blog

Similar Drug Names Often Cause Medical Mixups

• A physician intends to prescribe a new drug but spells out a similar sounding old drug out of habit.

• A pharmacist is hurried and doesn't take time to call a physician to clarify an unclear prescription.

• A hurried pharmacist using alphabetized bottles on a shelf grabs the wrong one. Adding to the possibility of error is that some drugs may come in lookalike packaging. Antimisiaris said the drugs metronidazole, an antibiotic, and metformin hydrochloride, an antidiabetic drug, come in lookalike red, white and blue bottles, for example.

• A faxed prescription that is blurred or smudged.

• A phoned prescription that is hard to make out because of a poor connection.

As noted, prescription drug mixups can cause serious health problems.  If you or a loved one believe that you have been harmed by a prescription drug mixup, or other medical malpractice, please contact the attorneys at medical malpractice attorneys at Franklin Gray & White for a free consultation.

Walgreens and Medicaid-paid Prescriptions Settlement

The preceding article from Bloomberg.com. details a settlement reached between Walgreen Co., and 42 U.S. states and the U.S. government.  In the settlement, Walgreens agreed to pay $35 million for a scheme in which the large U.S.-based drugstore filled Medicaid-paid prescriptions with the most expensive form of medication available.  In what may become a class action, this settlement comes on the heels of settlements with two other large prescription drug distributors, CVS Caremark and Omnicare for similar practices.  U.S. taxpayers were ultimately the victims the the respective schemes, but all citizens need to be aware of how their prescriptions are being filled, be it through a health care plan or by the consumer's responsibility alone. The law firm of Franklin Gray & White handles many types of class actions and complex litigations, including those related to the health care or pharmaceutical industries.  If you believe you may have such a complaint, please contact our firm for a free consultation.