Toxicology Experts Opine on Inappropriate Painkiller Administration

Case Overview

This case takes place in Virginia and involves a patient who died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs repeatedly prescribed. The patient presented due to a chronic medical condition which required an ongoing pain management regime. The patient was prescribed a range of opioid medications, for which dosages were progressively increased over the course of several years. Eventually, the patient was killed by an overdose of her pain medication, enabled in part by the large dosage she had been prescribed.

Questions to the Toxicology expert and their responses

Do you have extensive experience working with pain management medications?

I am a practicing Primary Care Physician and Hospital Pharmacist, with extensive experience as a retail pharmacist. I have a Master's of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology with the focus of my research in the area of drugs of abuse. As a practicing Physician and Pharmacist, I have extensive experience working with the medications identified in this case.

Please explain your knowledge the complications that can arise from prescribing these medications before obtaining the proper patient information?

My knowledge regarding the potential complications of these particular medications is derived from my education and experience as a Practicing Physician and Pharmacist, as well as having a Masters in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology. The most relevant interaction is going to be regarding sedation, from central nervous system depression, as well as potential metabolic interaction from liver metabolism resulting in potential unintended elevated levels of certain medications that share the same pathways.

What is your experience working on similar cases?

My experience is extensive in working on cases involving the above medications on both plaintiff and defensive side, outpatients and inpatients (hospitalized), relative to pharmacist and physician errors.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert earned a BS in Pharmacy at the Medical College of Virigina, and an MD and MS in Pharmacology and Toxicology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Formerly, he was a Pharmacy Manager at Wal-Mart Pharmacy. Currently, he serves as a Pharmacist at a major hospital.