On Friday, a Florida appeals court ruled that pharmacies can be held liable for failing to warn patients of the potentially dangerous drug effects of the prescription drugs they dispense, even though they may simply be executing a doctor's written instructions. Judge Mark Polen wrote that the pharmacist represents the last line of defense standing between patients and potential harm, noting that "a strong policy basis already exists supporting a pharmacist's duty to warn customers of the risks inherent in filling repeated and unreasonable prescriptions with potentially fatal consequences."
- see this story from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)