Prescribing overdose

Our medical negligence solicitors have acted in a number of cases involving prescribing errors, whether arising from the prescription of inappropriate drugs or the wrong dose.

By way of example, we are instructed by a diabetic client whose consultant advised that he take the drug Metformin to assist in controlling his diabetes. The dose was later increased on the consultant's recommendation and continued at that level for several years. The GP then increased our client's dose on two separate occasions for no clear reason, the second increase to more than twice the dose recommended by our client's treating consultant and the maximum advised by the British National Formulary.

A couple of weeks after the second increase in dose, our client suffered acute lactic acidosis, which would almost certainly have been fatal had a neighbour not found him collapsed at home. He has suffered permanent and irreversible kidney damage and we are pursuing his claim for compensation.

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