Drug-induced injuries remain a real threat for patients in Oregon and nationwide. Injuries can result when a person reacts poorly to a certain drug, or when a combination of drugs proves dangerous. Sometimes, a drug might be prescribed before it is safe to do so or...
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Year: 2012
The best treatment for prostate cancer might be no treatment
Each year, about 17 percent of men in Oregon and nationwide will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Upon receiving this news, most men opt for aggressive treatment options, despite the accompanying long-term side effects of that choice. However, a new study suggests...
Delayed cancer diagnosis may have ruined woman’s chances
In the war against colon cancer -- the third most commonly diagnosed cancer -- early screening and testing might be the strongest weapons. If detected early, doctors might be able to remove polyps, or growths on the colon wall, before they become malignant. However,...
Study links hospital errors to understaffing
When Oregon patients check in to a hospital, their thoughts may be preoccupied with the main surgical or medical procedure they will be receiving. However, the opportunity for medical error is not confined to that event. A recent university study suggests that lower...
Latex allergy turns routine surgery into wrongful death
A jury recently awarded $4 million to the estate of a woman in a medical malpractice lawsuit alleging hospital and staff negligence. The woman's estate claimed that hospital nurses failed to notify staff of the woman's latex allergy, resulting in her wrongful death....
Experimental brain cancer treatment may have been illegal
A neurosurgeon at an American university hospital has been accused of experimenting on 3 terminally ill brain cancer patients without university permission. Although the average survival for such patients in Oregon and nationwide is only about 15 months from...
FDA proposal may impact prescription errors
A prescription typically requires the involvement of several health care professionals. A doctor initiates the process by diagnosing a patient's condition. A nurse may transcribe a doctor's notes and send the authorization to a pharmacy. A pharmacist, in turn, must...
Failure to diagnose prostate cancer can be fatal
The Oregon Urology Institute recently offered free prostate exams -- no appointment or insurance required -- at the Valley River Center in Eugene, Oregon. They had good reason to promote this exam: 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In fact, one doctor...
1 in 20 hospital patients may develop infections
According to projections based on a 2010 report from the Department of Health and Human Services, infections, surgical mistakes and other medical harm contribute to the deaths of 180,000 hospital patients a year. Of that number, a significant portion of injuries are...
Emergency room patients face more overcrowding
Oregon patients requiring emergency care may be at greater risk of injuries caused by emergency room negligence, based on an interpretation of a recently published study. The study reported that the number of emergency department visits nationwide increased by 15%...