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Thread: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

  1. #1
    I eve's Avatar
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    Default pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    America was rudely awakened to a new kind of danger on September 11, 2001: Terrorism. The attacks that day left 2,996 people dead. Four commercial jets crashed that day. But what if six jumbo jets crashed every day in the US, claiming the lives of 783,936 people every year? That would certainly qualify as a massive tragedy, wouldn't it?

    Well, forget "what if." The tragedy is happening right now. Over 750,000 people actually do die in the US every year, although not from plane crashes. They die from something far more common and rarely perceived by the public as dangerous: modern medicine.

    Above from an article in http://www.newstarget.com/009278.html that makes fascinating reading.
    Eve

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    Ratbag Cal's Avatar
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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    That's incredible but somehow entirely believable!
    A bit rattled

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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    I've read these reports/statistics myself and I'm sure there is a lot of grey area involved. I give anesthesia and can tell you that there is nothing fun about having to do many things at once and be the only person in charge of giving medications in an emergency. While there is a voice in the back of your mind saying "Don't screw up or you're going to get sued." And anymore, if you get sued (even if you win the suit) you may not be able to get malpractice insurance again, effectively ending your career.

    That said, I have never had a medication error which ended a life. But I have seen horrible side effects from medications that needed quick and aggressive treatment. And seeing such a side effect sends you into a panic of "Oh God, did I just give something wrong?"

    To err is human but to err in US medicine is to lose your practice and your reputation. If our legal system was different then the reporting of errors would be different. You may assume that we have malpractice insurance just for this type of thing. However, as I alluded to above, you only have this insurance until you need it. Then you may have to kiss your job goodbye. Patients should have recourse but good practitioners should not have to lose all over an inevitable error. I fear for my family every time one enters a hospital, not because there many bad practitioners out there but because (some) errors are inevitable.

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    I eve's Avatar
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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    Here in Australia there was a report of around 1,400 patients who died from iatrogenic cause. Near where I live at the moment, there's an enquiry going on following deaths related to a doctor who was head of surgery in the hospital. He came from the US, where he had lost his licence or whatever it is called, but failed to tell the authorities here, and lied in his application. Then a nurse-whistleblower, blew the whistle, and he disappeared back to the US a couple of months ago. There's a murder charge out, but he refuses to return and face the music (I can understand that). Since disappearing, a number of other problems were revealed, now in the local public hospitals, operations are banned for the time being. At a pinch, people are air-lifted to Brisbane. I was going to give up my private health cover because of the increasing cost, but now I'm staying with it.
    Eve

  5. #5
    Mozbee
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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    Quote Dianecrna
    I fear for my family every time one enters a hospital, not because there many bad practitioners out there but because (some) errors are inevitable.
    Ofcourse humans are not perfect afterall, although some doctors/specialists I've had dealings with my have other views

    The US has, I feel, made itself the target for these statistics really; by taking the lead in research and due to its massive population; it also has a line of the relevant people for each freshly researched medication/treatment to do trials on (as in the relevant but sometimes deadly research).

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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    Well, Mozbee, we certainly do like our statistics here

    And Eve, I remember you posting earlier about you local hospital having troubles of this nature. That's horrible! These sound like the truly avoidable errors that occur. Thank goodness for whistle-blowers. It sounds like these deaths were related to infection that occurred during hospitalization for surgery. Most patients are worried about anesthesia, yet it's these iatrogenic "silent" events that I worry about the most. There are so many places a breakdown of sterile technique can occur - I'm glad the hospitals have banned surgery until the breakdown in the system is found.

    In the meantime, don't get hurt, please!

  7. #7
    I eve's Avatar
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    Default Re: pharmaceuticals more deadly than terrorists

    Thanks Dianecrna, at the moment the inquiry is interviewing former patients of that particular doctor, who apparently removed various organs such as bowel, throat, legs, etc - and in some cases the inquiry is interviewing the next-of-kin of the patient who died of the botched treatment! But you're right about the "silent" events - especially when golden staph comes into it. Best to stay away from hospitals if poss.
    Eve

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