About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Lawsuit Against Pharmacies That Fail To Translate Prescription

by Medindia Content Team on November 1, 2007 at 6:38 PM
Lawsuit Against Pharmacies That Fail To Translate Prescription

A discrimination complaint expected to be filed on Wednesday with the New York attorney general's office claims that 16 pharmacies in New York City fail to provide adequate translation and interpretation services for non-English-speaking customers, the New York Times reports.

According to the complaint, federal law and state health regulations require pharmacies to guarantee equal access to care for those with limited English language skills. Such assistance should include interpreters at pharmacies and a written translation of prescription labels, according to the complaint. Advocates said that not all pharmacies have policies that correspond with those regulations, and even the ones that do, do not follow them consistently.

Advertisement

The complaint also cites the New York Education Law, which says that medications must be labeled in a way that ordinary people can understand.

The complaint was initiated by the immigrant advocacy groups Make the Road New York, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and the New York Immigration Coalition and updates an earlier version of the complaint that was filed in July.
Advertisement

The complaint expected to be filed Wednesday adds additional pharmacies to the list and includes a report with additional examples of issues non-English-speaking customers have had at pharmacies. Nisha Agarwal, a lawyer for one of the groups filing the complaint, said that in response to the original complaint, the attorney general's office issued subpoenas to several pharmacies.

Andrew Friedman, an executive director of Make the Road New York, said, "The idea is that people should not be placed in danger by not understanding their medication regimen."

According to a study to be published in the November issue of the Journal of Urban Health, 34% of 200 New York City pharmacies translated medication labels daily for non-English-speaking patients and 80% said they had the ability to do so.

The study also found that 88% of the pharmacies surveyed reported working with non-English-speaking customers on a daily basis and that 26% said they never translated labels for non-English-speaking customers.

Source: Kaiser Family Foundation
LIN/C
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest General Health News

Hawk Data Pro: An Essential One Health Surveillance Tool for Rabies Management
Implementing the Hawk Data Pro system as a passive surveillance tool enabled us to record an ongoing rabies outbreak within a major Indian metropolis.
Wild Poliovirus Resurfaces in Pakistan
The Pakistan Ministry has announced the commencement of a nationwide polio vaccination campaign beginning on October 2, aiming to immunize more children.
US Woman Loses All Limbs in Fish-Related Bacterial Outbreak
In a tragic incident, a woman in the US experienced the loss of all her limbs as a result of a bacterial outbreak linked to the consumption of contaminated fish.
NIH Launches the First In-Human Universal Flu Vaccine Trial
FluMos-v2, a unique universal influenza vaccine candidate, undergoing a phase 1 trial at NIH, increases recipients' immunity against many influenza viruses.
Global Polio Eradication Initiative Assesses Vaccination Strategies in Pakistan
In Pakistan, the polio campaign focuses on more than 270,000 children under the age of five years, residing in areas with insufficient vaccine coverage.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
MediBotMediBot
Greetings! How can I assist you?MediBot
×

Lawsuit Against Pharmacies That Fail To Translate Prescription Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests