Mercury Drug Corporation vs. de Leon

Mercury Drug Corporation and Aurmela Ganzon vs.
Raul De Leon
Facts:
1. Raul T. De Leon noticed that his left eye was reddish. He also had difficulty
reading. On the same evening, he met a friend who happened to be a doctor and
had just arrived from abroad for dinner.
2. De Leon consulted Dr. Milla about his irritated left eye.The latter prescribed the
drugs "CortisporinOpthalmic" and "Ceftin" to relieve his eye problems.
3. Before heading to work the following morning, De Leon went to the Betterliving,
Parañaque, branch of Mercury Drug Store Corporation to buy the prescribed
medicines. He showed his prescription to petitioner AurmelaGanzon, a pharmacist
assistant.Subsequently, he paid for and took the medicine handed over by
Ganzon.
4. De Leon requested his sheriff to assist him in using the eye drops.As instructed,
the sheriff applied 2-3 drops on respondent's left eye.
5. Instead of relieving his irritation, respondent felt searing pain so immediately, he

rinsed the affected eye with water, but the pain did not subside. Only then did he
discover that he was given the wrong medicine, "CortisporinOtic Solution.”
6. De Leon returned to the same Mercury Drug branch and confronted Ganzon
why he was given ear drops, instead of the prescribed eye drops, she did not
apologize and instead brazenly replied that she was unable to fully read the
prescription. In fact, it was her supervisor who apologized and informed De
Leon that they do not have stock of the needed CortisporinOpthalmic.
7. De Leon wrote Mercury Drug, through its president about the day's incident. It did
not merit any response. Instead, two sales persons went to his office and
informed him that their supervisor was busy with other matters. Having been
denied his simple desire for a written apology and explanation,De Leon filed a
complaint for damages against Mercury Drug.
8. MERCURY DRUG’S CONTENTION- Mercury Drug and Ganzon pointed out that
De Leon's own negligence was the proximate cause of his injury. They argued
that any injury would have been averted had De Leon exercised due diligence
before applying the medicine on his eye. Had he cautiously read the medicine
bottle label, he would have known that he had the wrong medicine.
9. RTC- rendered judgment in favor of De Leon.
a. The proximate cause of the ill fate of plaintiff was defendant Aurmila (sic)
Ganzon's negligent exercise of said discretion. She gave a prescription
drug to a customer who did not have the proper form of prescription, she
did not take a good look at said prescription, she merely presumed plaintiff
was looking for CortisporinOtic Solution because it was the only one
available in the market and she further presumed that by merely putting
the drug by the counter wherein plaintiff looked at it, paid and took the drug
without any objection meant he understood what he was buying.
b. Although De Leon may have been negligent by failing to read the

medicine's label or to instruct his sheriff to do so, Mercury Drug was first to
be negligent. Ganzon dispensed a drug without the requisite prescription.
Moreover, she did so without fully reading what medicine was exactly
being bought.In fact, she presumed that since what was available was the
drug CortisporinOtic Solution, it was what De Leon was attempting to buy
CA dismissed the appeal and the motion for reconsideration on the ground that if
statement of fact is unaccompanied by a page reference to the record, it may be stricken
or disregarded all together. Hence the petition.
Issue:
WON Mercury Drug and Ganzon had exercised the degree of diligence expected
of them.
Held:
Mercury Drug and Ganzon failed to exercise the highest degree of diligence
expected of them. Mercury Drug and Ganzoncan not exculpate themselves from any
liability. As active players in the field of dispensing medicines to the public, the highest
degree of care and diligence is expected of them.
The profession of pharmacy demands care and skill, and druggists must exercise
care of a specially high degree, the highest degree of care known to practical men. In
other words, druggists must exercise the highest practicable degree of prudence and
vigilance, and the most exact and reliable safeguards consistent with the reasonable
conduct of the business, so that human life may not constantly be exposed to the danger
flowing from the substitution of deadly poisons for harmless medicines.
One holding himself out as competent to handle drugs, having rightful access to
them, and relied upon by those dealing with him to exercise that high degree of caution
and care called for by the peculiarly dangerous nature of the business, cannot be heard
to say

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Mercury Drug Corporation and Aurmela Ganzon vs.

5. Instead of relieving his irritation, respondent felt searing pain so immediately, he

9. RTC- rendered judgment in favor of De Leon.

b. Although De Leon may have been negligent by failing to read the

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