What are "high alert" medications?

A: While most medications have a large margin of safety, a small number of drugs have a high risk of causing injury when they are misused. We call these "high-alert medications" to draw attention to this characteristic so that all involved in their use will treat them with the care and respect that they require. Errors may or may not be more common with these drugs than with the use of any others; however, the consequences of the errors are more devastating.

For this reason, special considerations are required. These medications often need to be packaged differently, stored differently, prescribed differently, and administered differently than others. Whenever possible, "forcing functions," methods that make it impossible for the drug to be given in a potentially lethal manner, should be developed and instituted.

For more information on medication errors or pharmacy mistakes and/or if you suspect that you, or someone you care about, suffered injuries or was the victim of someone else's mistake, then you should contact our attorneys who specialize in personal injury claims relating to prescription errors and medical malpractice claims immediately for your free legal consultation. We are ready to learn about your case and to address any questions or concerns you might have, simply call us toll-free at 1-800-634-8767 or send a confidential e-mail at any time that it is convenient for you.