“Have you ever heard of iatrogenesis? The word doesn’t even sound that harmful. It comes from two Greek words – iatros – meaning physician, and genesis – meaning created. Yes, the number 3 killer in America is death by doctor.”

The Number 3 Killer in America is Iatrogenesis

According to Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary:

“Iatrogenesis is any adverse or physical condition induced in a patient through the effects of treatment by a physician or surgeon.”

http://www.cmo-usa.com/iatro.html

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

“The terms iatrogenesis and iatrogenic artifact refer to inadvertent adverse effects or complications caused by or resulting from medical treatment or advice. In addition to harmful consequences of actions by physicians, iatrogenesis can also refer to actions by other healthcare professionals, such as psychologists, therapists, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, and others. Iatrogenesis is not restricted to conventional medicine and can also result from complementary and alternative medicine treatments.”

“Some iatrogenic artifacts are clearly defined and easily recognized, such as a complication following a surgical procedure. Some are less obvious and can require significant investigation to identify, such as complex drug interactions. And, some conditions have been described for which it is unknown, unproven or even controversial whether they be iatrogenic or not; this has been encountered particularly with regard to various psychological and chronic pain conditions. Research in these areas is ongoing.”

“Causes of iatrogenesis include chance, medical error, negligence, social control and the adverse effects or interactions of prescription drugs. In the United States, from 120,000 to 225,000 deaths per year may be attributed in some part to iatrogenesis.^[1]“

1. ^ ^{a b} Starfield B (2000). “Is US health really the best in the world?”. JAMA 284 (4): 483–5. doi:10.1001/jama.284.4.483. PMID 10904513

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iatrogenesis

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Please notice the links in the column to the right. These are topics that might be of of interest to patients with iatrogenic injury.