Vested Interest - News and Notes - October 2002 Issue

Pharmacy Mistakes on Increase

Prescription mistakes by pharmacists and doctors may cause more than 7,000 U.S. deaths each year, up from 2,900 in 1983, federal statistics show. The Michigan Board of Pharmacy estimates they get about 200 error reports each year, but the number of slips could be higher since error reports are not required. (ATLA L@w News Digest – August 29, 2002)

Prolonged Cellphone use may Pose Risk

Long-term users of some first-generation mobile phones face a risk of developing brain tumors that is as much as 80 percent greater than for those who didn’t use the phones, a new Swedish study said. The study, published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, looked at 1,617 Swedish patients diagnosed with brain tumors from1997 to 2000, comparing them with a similar control group without brain tumors. Researchers found that those who had used Nordic Mobile Telephone handsets have a 30 percent higher risk of developing brain tumors than people who hadn’t used that type of mobile phone, particularly on the side of the brain used during calling. For people using the phones for more than 10 years, the risk was 80 percent greater. (ATLA L@w News Digest – August 29, 2002)

Deadly Errors in Doctors’ Offices and Clinics

A growing number of medical experts say patients can face equal or greater risks in doctors’ offices and outpatient surgery clinics, from botched anesthesia during cosmetic surgery procedures to suspicious-looking X-ray films that get filed away without follow-up. Though there are no reliable national statistics, data from malpractice insurers, federal researchers and medical societies indicate the risk of outpatient medical errors is growing along with the number of visits to outpatient facilities. (ATLA L@w News Digest – September 5, 2002)

Tires don’t meet New Federal Rules

Federal regulators plan to implement new testing standards that will require tires to run faster, longer, and at hotter temperatures. The rules, coming two years after the recall of millions of Firestone tires linked to deadly highway accidents, are part of a broader rewrite of auto-safety regulations that is roiling the tire and auto industries. For consumers, the new tire standards will mean having to spend a little more, based on the government’s estimates. As for improving safety, the advantages are less clear. NHTSA officials say the proposed standards will save 27 lives and prevent 667 injuries annually. Drivers of SUVs, vans and other light trucks are particularly likely to benefit because those vehicles are more prone to be overloaded or used for long-distance trips, conditions that can contribute to tire blowouts. (ATLA L@w News Digest – September 12, 2002)

Automakers Recalling Faulty Air Bags at Record Pace

Automakers are on track to do a record number of recalls related to air bags this year for problems ranging from bags that inflate when they shouldn’t to bags that don’t inflate when they should. More than 1 million vehicles have been recalled this year and more are likely. The NHTSA has opened a probe of side air bags in BMW 3-series models after reports of 41 minor injuries when the bags inflated without crashes. It has upgraded a probe into 2001 Kia Rio cars after reports of one death and 26 injuries linked to bags failing to inflate in a crash. The NHTSA has stepped up a probe into Ford Focus air bags after 140 complaints of burns. (ATLA L@w News Digest – September 5, 2002)

Probe of Insurance Rate Hikes

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has begun an in-depth evaluation of the availability and affordability of "the most distressed" property and casualty lines, starting with rates for medical malpractice insurance. The study came in response to the demand of the newly formed group Americans for Insurance Reform that the insurance commissioners act to "take immediate steps to impose a new regime of corporate responsibility and accountability" on the insurance industry. (Liability & Insurance Week – September 9, 2002)

Study Finds More Than 40 Errors Daily

More than 40 potentially harmful drug errors daily were found on average in hospitals in a new study. The most common errors were giving hospitalized patients medication at the wrong time or not at all, researchers found in a study of 36 hospitals and nursing homes in Colorado and Georgia. Errors occurred in nearly one of five doses in a typical, 300-bed hospital, which translates to about two errors per patient daily. Seven percent of the errors were considered potentially harmful. The study, which did not evaluate death or injury rates, is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It is based on data collected in 1999. (AP – September 9, 2002)

Multi-State Data on Disciplined Doctors on the Web

Citizen Health Research Group is helping consumers fill in the gaps when seeking to check out a doctor’s disciplinary history. The site, at www.questionabledoctors.org, lists a decade’s worth of disciplinary data provided by 27 states as well as the federal government. This will give people access to information about any sanctions a doctor has received in multiple states. Public Citizen officials say they hope to provide information from all 50 states by the end of the year. (ATLA L@w News Digest – September 12, 2002)