In 1999 a study reported that medical error led to 98,000 deaths per year--more deaths than breast cancer and auto accidents combined cause! The Institute of Medicine just released a follow-up report, and the results were not promising. The authors reported that 1.5 million Americans per year are harmed by medical error! The authors noted "Studies indicate that 400,000 preventable drug-related injuries occur each year in hospitals. Another 800,000 occur in long-term care settings, and roughly 530,000 occur just among Medicare recipients in outpatient clinics. The committee noted that these are likely underestimates." In-hospital deaths caused by preventable errors averaged 195,000 for the years 200, 2001, and 2002. Please note that these figures are just for injury due to drug-related errors, they do not include side-effects of properly given medications or injury due to other treatments such as surgery. Remember too that 36,000 people die per year from taking NSAIDS (ibuprofen, alleve, motrin, etc) at the proper dose! Remember at all times that the choices you make daily can save your life! Eat right, sleep well, do what you love, and choose natural healthcare--hopefully you'll never know what you're missing! Summary of the Study