Abstract
Bates et al have recently reported a study from Boston in which they identified about 6.5 actual and 5.5 potential adverse drug events—errors or adverse reactions involving drug treatment—per 100 hospital patients.1 Over a quarter of the observed events resulted from errors, and these were generally more serious than the adverse reactions. Drug errors are clearly an important cause of morbidity in hospital2 3 4 and probably in general practice. …