The Role of Measurement Errors in Drug Injury Cases

Each year, there are hundreds of thousands of Americans who are harmed by errors in dosages of prescription medications, with many of the victims being children. One new study is suggesting a contributing factor that may be playing a part in our nation’s drug injury problem is our society’s standards of measurement.
The United States uses the British Imperial system of measurement—consisting of units that include pounds, gallons, teaspoons, and tablespoons—whereas the rest of the world uses the metric system. This has led to many people using the small and large spoons found in the kitchen drawer as a way to measure liquid medications.
Unfortunately, all spoons are not a uniform size, much less a precise measurement of a tablespoon or teaspoon.
These findings were supported by a study that examined the cases of 300 children who were given medications to treat illnesses. According to an article from KSDK 5 News, parents who measured medication dosages using household spoons were 50 percent more likely to give the wrong amount of a drug.
These findings have led many experts to call for metric measurements to become the standard for drug dosages in the United States.
At Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers, our team of St. Louis personal injury attorneys has a deep understanding of the complexities that can arise when dosing a medication. That’s why we suggest referring to your physician or pharmacist prior to taking a medication if you have any questions.