Exhibit 171 · Journal analysis
Estimating deaths due to medical error: the ongoing controversy and why it matters
Makary's and Daniel's estimate that over 250 000 of those are preventable implies that around a third (or more) of inpatient deaths result from medical error or preventable adverse events.
Around 700,000 deaths occur in US hospitals annually, so Makary and Daniel's estimate that over 250,000 of those are preventable implies that around a third (or more) of inpatient deaths result from medical error or preventable adverse events. Three of the studies behind the figure contained 14, 12 and 9 deaths, and the authors write that Makary and Daniel "did not apply any established methodology for quantitative synthesis." The authors re-estimate preventable deaths at something like 25,000 a year, at a 3.6 percent preventable rate, refer in closing to "implausible estimates," and write that the narrow focus on preventable death "risks distracting attention" from non-fatal harm.
- Source
- Shojania and Dixon-Woods, BMJ Quality & Safety 26(5):423–428
- Date
- May 2017 (online October 2016)
- Quoted from
- Section "Why the fuss? What harm could come from estimating so many deaths due to medical error?"; preceding sentence: "Around 700 000 deaths occur in US hospitals annually."
- Grade
- Peer-reviewed
- Document
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006144
- Accessed
- 2026-11-09
- Cited by
- Findings citing this exhibit
- Note
- Known through PSNet, McGill OSS and abstract-level summaries.