“Brain death” apparently not so dead as some would like

A 14-year-old girl wounded in a deadly shooting spree in Michigan this
weekend was initially pronounced brain dead at the hospital before she
squeezed her mother's hand and was rushed to surgery, her family told
authorities.

She is now in critical condition and "fighting for her life," her family said.

The teen, who was shot in a Kalamazoo Cracker Barrel parking lot
Saturday, was pronounced brain dead shortly after arriving at Bronson
Methodist Hospital, Michigan State Police Lt. Dale Hinz told ABC News
today. 

Her family told the lieutenant that an hour or two later, the hospital
was in the process of preparing her organs for donation when the girl
squeezed her mother’s hand, he said. 

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When patient advocates are better than doctors

Really, do we need a patient advocate‽

Maybe.
Probably not.
We have regulating bodies like the C.P.S.O. looking after us!

Here's a reassuring article.

Last, but not least, in Ontario we have the

Ontario Hospital Association

Complaints about doctors rarely lead to formal discipline

Thousands of complaints about physicians lead to a handful of disciplinary cases

Self Regulation?

Self Serving?

An inexcusable violation' of international law

'Nothing can excuse violence against patients, medical workers and health facilities. Under International Humanitarian Law hospitals in conflict zones are protected spaces.'

DR. JOANNE LIUINTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT, MSF

Hospital mistakes that should never happen

Wishful thinking‽

Kingston woman upset by oversight body's findings into incomplete appendectomy - Ottawa - CBC News

Christine Sulek-Popov had to undergo two appendix removal surgeries after her first surgeon inadvertently left 5 cm of her appendix in her body. (Ashley Burke/CBC)

Confirmation that the College knows best‽

Another example‽

Medicines shouldn't be a luxury

Please sign and share MSF’s Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) petition and take action to protect access to medicines.

Time is running out.
Sign the Doctors Without Borders' petition now.

Brian Sinclair's death preventable?

The inquest into the death of 45-year-old double amputee Brian Sinclair in a hospital waiting room in Winnipeg has found it was not homicide and doesn't require a public inquiry.

See CBC article Dec 12, 2014

Inquest report here and here

A shortcoming of self-regulation?

Take another look at this recent post.

Flu vaccine may be less effective this winter, CDC says

The above article is well worth reading.

An Update!
Flu vaccine paradox adds to public health debate
Jan 16, 2015

One-time flu vaccine?

Dangers of pharmacists' alert fatigue.

When I saw this article, it isn't just a pharmacist trouble area but that of doctors as well.

As one's age becomes more "golden" the number of medications on the shelf seems to increase at an alarming rate. This make one wonder if there there are adverse drug interactions that we should pro-actively investigate on our own!

An update?

Jan 19, 2015