Joanne Wrote:
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> I've heard it said that medical error (such as is
> acknowledged, that is) is the 3rd or 4th leading
> cause of death in this country. If the truth were
> known, I am sure it would be number one. Yet,
> laws protect doctors and drug companies from
> accountability, and more are in the works all the
> time.


Joanne,

Let's not forget that the development of new treatments, and the implemtation of new treatment programs, would never happen if lawyers were free to bankrupt the individuals doing the research and development every time a mistake was made.

The free market knife cuts both ways. It gives us incredible new developments... and massive potential liabilities. Personally I'd rather have them researching and developing drugs with relative impunity. Otherwise, nobody's gonna do it, and antibiotics, MRI's, x-rays, heart stints, endoscopic surgeries, chemotherapy and arthritis pain relievers would never, ever have been invented.

No policy exists in a vacuum. You can't change one part of the system without having an effect somewhere else. Think butterfly.

Anthony

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think.