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June 16, 2008, 4:05 pm
Flag as Inappropriate pheinbaugh2  

My mother picked up her meds and my brother's from CVS. My mother had heart medication and my brother had antibiotics. Fortunetly my mother caught the error but my mom's heart pills were in both containers. My brothers was labeled as the antibiotic but filled with heart medication. My brother is 17 so my mom usually doesn't watch over his shoulder so i'm glad she caught it.

WHAT CAN WE DO? SOMEONE COULD HAVE KILLED HIM!

Prescription errors are on the rise. There are as many as 7,000 deaths annually in the United States from incorrect prescriptions, according to Carmen Catizone of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; as many as 5% of the 3 billion prescriptions filled each year are incorrect.

Here is a helpful and informative article to help protect yourself: http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/25/pharmacy.errors/index.html

Here is another good article on how to protect yourself from drug errors: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/12/earlyshow/health/main655464.shtml

You know seriously there should be a picture of the pill itself on the information and instructions that are given with prescriptions. At least that way we know if we are about to pop the wrong pill.

I have run into this more and more and also find that if I have been on one medication for a long time and the Dr changes the dose that quite a few times I get the old dose amount or they just plain don't pay attention to the quantity.

They need better quality assurance at pharmacies.

Yes that is very dangerous. I would head back to the pharmacy and tell them what could have happened. It seems people just do not pay attention anymore.

I agree, complain to the pharmacy -- loud and long. At the least, the next time they fill your family's drugs, they will make sure it is right.

You might also try to get to know the pharmacists at your store. If you make a point of letting them know who you are, they might take a moment to make certain your drugs are right.

It's a sad, sorry thing, but we all need to live defensively with the thought that other people are incompetent. Check and double check everything.

Have you ever looked at a doctor's handwriting? I feel that sometimes the pharmacist have problems deciphering what they have written. I know they are trained to read the writing, but I think it's really bad. I normally ask the doc what medication he is giving me and then I check to ensure it is the right one once I have received it.

I have always been a little paranoid with the meds I am picking up since this happened to a family member of mine as well. It was caught in time, but if this is becoming such an issue does that mean everyone is just overworked and understaffed?

I have complained. But I feel like they are just going to cover it up. Why reported to the person who made the error. If it was me ...I'd just fix it and move on. I wouldn't want to get into trouble.

I'm just worried i'll hear it on the news of something bad happening and i didn't do enough.