I’m reading a terrific book called Top Screwups Doctors Make And How To Avoid Them. It was written by Joe and Dr. Teresa Graedon, a married team of pharmacology experts who’ve written numerous books on drug and health information, including the New York Times bestseller, The People’s Pharmacy. The Graedons have also penned syndicated columns for almost 30 years for newspapers across the country.
Top Screwups is a practical guide for preventing medical errors, a subject that Karen and I became much too familiar with in the last decade when we witnessed firsthand how even well-intentioned medical professionals can make dangerous mistakes when they prescribe and administer meds. We watched it happen to both of our parents — repeatedly.
In Top Screwups, the Graedons mention a report called, “Preventing Medication Errors,” compiled by The Institute of Medicine, which states, “There are at least 1.5 million preventable ADEs [Adverse Drug Events] that occur in the United States each year. The true number may be much higher.”
Continue Reading