About drug injuries

It is not always easy to know whether you have suffered a drug injury or a patient injury. Sometimes, this will only become clear when we are considering the claim.

You can apply for compensation for adverse reactions to drugs, referred to as a drug injury. You can also apply for compensation for treatment failure, referred to as a patient injury.

Drug injury

In simple terms, drug injuries are injuries caused by the ingredients of a drug. You could experience serious injuries such as liver failure, renal failure, bleeds or other adverse reactions.

If the injury is caused by drugs that you have purchased in a shop or over the counter at a pharmacy, we will always consider the claim as a drug injury and not a patient injury. The claim for compensation will then be managed in accordance with the specific rules relating to drug liability as set out in the Product Liability Act.

Patient injury

A patient injury, on the other hand, usually takes place as a result of treatment failure on the part of healthcare personnel. You may be given the wrong drugs or the wrong dosage by your physician, sustaining an injury as a result.

Who is liable and who will pay compensation for drug injuries?

NPE considers all compensation claims relating to drug injuries. We will calculate the compensation amount for the compensation claimants whose claims are approved. We do this on behalf of two private companies responsible for the compensation of drug injuries, respectively Norsk Legemiddelforsikring (NLF, Norwegian Drug Insurance) and Legemiddelforsikringspoolen (LMP, the Drug Insurance Pool).