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Wrongfully Injured?

Medical Malpractice and Catastrophic Injury Attorneys

*Certified Specialist in Serious Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation

Doctors should be sure if a drug is right for a patient

On Behalf of | Feb 12, 2015 | Medication Errors

When we are not feeling our best, we may seek relief through the use of prescription drugs. We often have high expectations that such drugs will fix our problems without complications. Perhaps these expectations are created by the many advertisements touting the amazing healing capacities of certain medications currently on the market.

If you see a commercial that promises a condition can be treated by simply taking a drug, you may be tempted to rush to your doctor to get a prescription. This is a natural and common impulse. In fact, drug companies spend lots of money on marketing to get us to do just that.

But if you visit a doctor and ask for a prescription, the doctor must be able to properly assess your condition and decide whether or not the medication is appropriate for your needs. This means that before issuing a prescription, the doctor should exercise sound judgment in deciding that the medication is actually safe for your use.

If the doctor decides to prescribe the drug, he or she should give you very specific instructions for its use. They should also clearly explain any possible side effects and what to do should you start to experience the side effects.

Taking the wrong medication can cause patients to experience serious health issues. An unsafe drug could cause a dangerous or painful reaction. In a worst-case scenario, a patient could suffer injuries to internal organs that could cause long-term or even fatal injuries.

Should you or a member of your family suffer harm due to a doctor’s medication error, the firm of Harris, Powers & Cunningham may be able to provide legal services that aid in seeking compensation. You can read about our outlook on medication injury cases on this page of our website.

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