Researchers at the University of Toronto, who examined 39 studies, estimated that an average of 106,000 deaths at U.S. hospitals in 1994 were due to bad reactions to drugs. Fatal adverse drug reactions appear to be between the fourth and sixth leading cause of death.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, followed by cancer and stroke.
Other major causes are accidents, pulmonary disease. The report estimated the number of deaths in 1994 from adverse reactions at between 137,000 and 76,000 with 106,000 the mean. The report, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association, included patients admitted to hospitals with adverse drug reactions and those whose reactions occurred after they were admitted. The study excluded errors in administration, noncompliance with instructions and drug abuse. An accompanying editorial by David Bates of Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital also urged careful analysis.