By catching drug-interactions and dosage errors made by physicians and other prescribers, pharmacists save lives. But an editorial posted this week on PeoplesPharmacy.com explains that pharmacies are far from perfect.  In fact, pharmacists themselves are often guilty of critical errors, as we see in this excerpt from the story:

Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals. They can save lives if given the chance. When mistakes occur, though, the results can be tragic, as one reader reported:

“My ex-husband died from a pharmacy error. He was in relatively good health before the pharmacy dispensed an overdose of Coumadin. The physician denied any responsibility for this problem, though the pharmacy blames the physician.

“The drug manufacturer clearly states in its written information that Coumadin should not be taken twice a day. Even if the physician erred on the phone, the pharmacist should have been knowledgeable enough to question the overdose.”

According to the article, understaffed pharmacies are especially susceptible to errors. So, triple-check your prescription and dosage, and always discuss your medication with your pharmacist. Also, you may consider checking drug interactions online.