Given the Wrong Medication
A Three-Week Pharmacy Dispensing Error
Our client collected a prescription and took it as directed for three weeks. It was medication for a condition they didn't have.
What happened
Our client collected a prescription from their pharmacy and took it exactly as directed. What they had been given was medication intended to treat a condition they did not have.
Over the following three weeks they became dizzy, struggled to handle everyday objects, and felt their general health and wellbeing decline without knowing why, because they had no reason to doubt what was on the label.
When the dispensing error came to light, our client raised it with the pharmacy, which admitted the mistake.
What we did
An admission is a useful starting point, but it isn't the claim. It confirms that something went wrong; it doesn't establish what harm followed, or what that harm is worth.
We obtained the prescription and dispensing records, took a detailed account of the three weeks our client had been affected, and secured independent medical evidence linking the symptoms to the wrong medication and confirming that they had resolved after it was stopped. That evidence is what converts an acknowledged error into a valued claim.
The outcome
£3,500 in compensation for the harm caused during the three weeks our client was taking medication they should never have been given.
A figure specific to this case, assessed on their own injuries and medical evidence.
The pharmacy has already admitted the mistake, do I still need to prove anything?
Yes. An admission establishes that an error occurred, but a claim also requires evidence of what harm it caused and how much that harm is worth. Medical evidence linking your symptoms to the wrong medication is usually the decisive part, so it's worth keeping a record of your symptoms, dates and any GP contact.
What should I do if I think I've been given the wrong medication?
Stop taking it and contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice first, that comes before anything else. Keep the packaging, the label and any remaining tablets, and report the error to the pharmacy so it's formally recorded. Those items are the evidence a claim is later built on.
Did a dispensing error make you unwell?
If you were given the wrong medication, the wrong dose, or someone else's prescription and you suffered for it, we'll review what happened free of charge and with no obligation, and tell you honestly whether there's a claim worth bringing.
Call: 0330 818 7754