More people die each year in the United States from medical errors than from highway accidents, breast cancer or AIDS, a federal advisory panel reported Monday.
The institute said medication errors are among the most widespread
In addition, the report said, "when a patient is treated by several practitioners, they often do not have complete information about the medicines prescribed or the patient's illnesses."
"These stunningly high rates of medical errors -- resulting in deaths, permanent disability and unnecessary suffering -- are simply unacceptable in a medical system that promises first to 'do no harm,'"
