The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7422 p440
14 October 2006

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Prosecuting pharmacists does not improve safety

Charging pharmacists and doctors with manslaughter after patients die as a result of medication errors is unlikely to improve patient safety, researchers have concluded. They add that it will not do anything to address the root causes of such mistakes either.

The researchers, from the West Midlands Centre for Adverse Drug Reactions, identified 36 doctors and 17 pharmacists who had been charged with manslaughter between 1795 and the end of 2005. Nine doctors and two pharmacists had been convicted.

Most of the charges were consequences of mistakes or slips, mostly involving drug selection, dosage and administration errors.

John Murphy, general manager of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association, commented: “It is totally inappropriate to bring an action against any individuals for culpable negligence leading to manslaughter for carrying out their professional duties to the best of their abilities.”