Drug Errors

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Drug errors contribute to morbidity. They also cost the country's health care system. So, doctors should keep in mind these points while prescribing medicines. Drug errors may involve:
  • The wrong choice of a drug or a prescription for the wrong dose, frequency, or duration.
  • An error in reading the prescription by the pharmacist so that the wrong drug or dose is dispensed.
  • Incorrect instructions to the patient.
  • Incorrect administration by a health care practitioner or patient.
  • Incorrect storage of a drug by the pharmacist or patient, altering the drug's potency.
  • Use of outdated drug, altering the drug's potency.
  • Confusion of the patient so that the drug is taken incorrectly.
  • Unscrupulous replacement of a drug with an inferior, diluted, or inactive product.

Errors in prescribing are common, especially for certain populations. The elderly ), women of childbearing age, and children are particularly at risk. Drug interactions particularly affect those taking many drugs. To minimize risk, a physician should know all drugs being taken—including those prescribed by others and OTC drugs—and keep a complete problem list.

Most commonly, drug error results from a patient's confusion about how to take drugs. Patients may take the wrong drug or dose. Dosing instructions for each drug, including why the drug has been prescribed, should be completely explained to patients.

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