In a world so focused on safety, wrongful death seems like a term that should be seen less and less. Precautions are taken with cars and electronics to make them as safe as possible. But some dangers aren't being addressed to the same degree.Medications are one such...
Medication Errors
Prominent Detroit doctor accused of $500 million opioid ring
Opioid addiction continues to plague our communities, damaging families and reportedly taking the lives of more than 100 Americans every day. The persistent overprescription of opioids has led to countless victims that suffer unnecessary and avoidable...
Whom should we blame for the opioid crisis?
Imagine your mother suffered from chronic migraines. She tried everything to treat them—over-the-counter medication, acupuncture, physical therapy—but nothing seemed to work. Nearly every day of her life was filled with incapacitating pain. Finally she...
The Ambien defense
Last week, we examined the unexpected and potentially devastating side effects of Ambien--the world's number one sleep aid. We talked about cases of well-intentioned patients who took the medication as prescribed before bed into order to help them fall asleep. They...
The dark underbelly of the world’s leading sleep aid
Since its release into the market over a decade ago, Ambien has become a ubiquitous name in the medical industry. It has been shown to induce sleep in about 20 minutes, and people all over the world have sworn by its efficacy. It has quickly become the number one...
What constitutes a medication error?
Older readers will remember the commercial tagline "Without chemicals, life itself would be impossible." Monsanto put it out there back in the 1970s. These days, with all the attention on the environment and the effects of human activity upon it, many might be...
Study finds several possible ways to reduce medication errors among children
Medication errors are an important type of preventable medical error that need to be more thoroughly and systematically addressed in the health care industry. Often, medication errors do not have serious long-term consequences for those who experience them, but in...
Study looks at low reporting rate of medication errors among anesthesiologists, P.2
In our last post, we began looking at a recent study which found that found anesthesiologists may be significantly underreporting medication errors. The problem is particularly prevalent with respect to antibiotic and opioid errors. Failure to self-report errors is,...
Study looks at low reporting rate of medication errors among anesthesiologists
Medication errors are a common type of medical error observed in the health care industry. In many cases, medication errors are preventable. These errors can be traced back to physicians, of course, in the prescription of medications, but also to pharmacists who...
Study suggests change in standard surgical practice may be appropriate
We have written before on this blog on the topic of medical standard of care. As we’ve noted, the medical standard of care can vary from one state to another and even from one community to another, depending on state law.Standard of care can come from a variety...