A 'landmark article' in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2000:284 pp 483-85) warned that doctors had become the third leading cause of death in the US, closely trailing heart disease and cancer. The iatrogenic* deaths broke down as follows (per year):

• unnecessary surgery - 12,000
• medication errors in hospitals - 7,000
• other errors in hospitals - 20,000
• infections in hospitals - 80,000
• non-error negative effects of drugs - 106,000

These figures only counted deaths, and did not include patients who were damaged but had survived.

*iatrogenic - due to a doctor's activity, manner or therapy

See also UK hospitals most dangerous in Europe