In recent decades, there has been a public outcry against the supposed rising medical costs due to defensive medicine. But the National Institute of Health (NIH) has awarded a $2 million grant to George Washington University researcher Steven Farmer, M.D., Ph.D., to study the effects... Read More

Two Milwaukee County judges have questioned the need for Wisconsin’s sizable medical malpractice fund ─ currently totaling $1.15 billion. The fund was placed under strict scrutiny in separate hearings to determine the validity of the state’s $750,000 maximum on noneconomic damages for issues that can... Read More

The nation’s state medical boards allow thousands of doctors who have been found liable for multiple acts of serious medical misconduct to continue to practice medicine. Many of these doctors have settled lawsuits with millions of dollars in medical malpractice payouts and been barred by hospitals yet... Read More

Narcotic painkillers such as opioids can make a major difference to those suffering from chronic or seriously debilitating pain. While these prescription medications can be an effective therapy when used in moderation, new research suggests that elderly patients are more at risk for injury, hospitalization... Read More

A major medical malpractice insurer in Maine says that claims have plummeted more than 50 percent over the last ten years, due to enhanced patient care and better doctor-patient communication. Medical Mutual Insurance Co. insures most of the state’s hospitals and more than 3,000 doctors.... Read More

The results of a new study from the FDA are likely to alarm patients who have considered undergoing LASIK surgery to correct refractive errors and improve their vision. The results indicate that nearly half of all LASIK patients experience eye surgery complications. The study was... Read More

According to Reuters, children medication errors are so common that they occurred about once every eight minutes from 2002 to 2012. The report, from the journal Pediatrics, was based on a study that examined calls to poison control hotlines. Unlike most earlier studies, the focus... Read More

A new medical malpractice report from the Rand Corporation suggests costs of “defensive medicine” may not be as high as many thought. The study found that when laws are rewritten to favor physicians in malpractice lawsuits, the change does not impact the cost of care... Read More