Chemist made a mistake

Q   I  NEARLY had a fatal accident at my home over the Christmas period.

My elderly mother who lives with us fell ill and I called the Doctor who gave me a prescription for her which I got from my Chemist. The Chemist advised me to give my mother ten times the dosage the Doctor prescribed. Fortunately I thought the dosage was a bit high and I checked again with the Chemist who, after having checked the original prescription, advised me of the correct amount. This error could have been fatal. Do you think I should get onto my Solicitor and get him to write to the Chemist on my behalf?

 

A   INDEED if your poor mother had taken the tablets as directed she may well have died.

Your diligence has in fact saved your mother and avoided a real tragedy. I wonder whether in fact the Doctor’s writing was the cause of the Chemist’s mistake as on a regular basis Chemists phone up the Doctors concerned to clarify what in fact he/she has in fact written. As you were suspicious and queried the point with the Chemist I feel that the Chemist did not in fact give due diligence in making up the prescription.

As no harm, thank God, resulted from the chemist’s carelessness you would be wasting your time contacting your Solicitor, as to sustain an action in law you must be able to show that someone, in this case your mother, had in fact suffered as a result of the negligent act.

 

THE STAR, Friday January 26, 1990