Pharmacists fail to point out potentially dangerous drug interactions more than half the time, according to a Chicago Tribune investigation.
The newspaper visited more than 200 pharmacies armed with prescriptions known to have serious consequences when the drugs are taken together; some of the combinations could prove fatal.
The Tribune's Ray Long says it's another reason consumers should ask questions and point out what medications they're taking to doctors and pharmacists.
"The thing is, the pharmacists are basically the last line of defense to make sure that a person's medications are safe,” Long said. “This was a test of the strength of that safety net."
Long says the newspaper heard from pharmacists who say they fill hundreds of prescriptions a day and often have little time to give scrutiny to each order.
State and federal officials have called for changes following the investigation.
Many of the companies that run the pharmacies say they will revise training and computer software designed to point out concerns with mixing drugs.