Please, Please, Open the Bag!
One of the most frequent errors in the pharmacy is giving a correctly filled prescription medicine to the wrong customer. Recently, we received another report of this type of error. A parent of a 16-year-old teen picked up what was supposed to be an antibiotic to treat his acne, minocycline. The next month, when looking at the prescription label to call in a refill of the medicine, the teen’s mother realized the prescription medicine was for a different person, and the medicine dispensed was not minocycline. Instead, Xarelto (rivaroxaban), a medicine used to prevent blood clots after surgery or in people at risk of having a stroke, was listed on the label. Fortunately, the teen was not injured. However, the risk of bleeding from taking Xarelto in error for a month is certainly significant.
Learn MoreTake Charge of Your Medicines
Are you taking charge of your medicines? If not, you can be putting your health at risk. Proper administration of medicine is a three tier effort that includes your doctor, your pharmacist, and you. Knowing about the medicine you take today can save you a lot of grief tomorrow.
Learn More