Exhibit 168

Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis of prospective studies

Exhibit 168 · Peer-reviewed meta-analysis

Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients: a meta-analysis of prospective studies

We estimated that in 1994 overall 2216000 (1721000-2711000) hospitalized patients had serious ADRs and 106000 (76000-137000) had fatal ADRs, making these reactions between the fourth and sixth leading cause of death.

Pooled 39 prospective studies from US hospitals (1966–1996). Excluded errors in drug administration, noncompliance, overdose, drug abuse, therapeutic failures and possible reactions, so the count covers reactions to drugs used as prescribed. Serious reactions occurred in 6.7 percent and fatal reactions in 0.32 percent of hospitalized patients. Estimated that in 1994, 2,216,000 hospitalized patients had serious reactions and 106,000 (76,000–137,000) had fatal ones, placing drug reactions between the fourth and sixth leading cause of death.

Source: Lazarou, Pomeranz and Corey, JAMA 279(15):1200–1205
Date: 15 April 1998
Quoted from: Abstract, Data Synthesis (JAMA 279(15):1200-1205)
Grade: Peer-reviewed
Document: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.279.15.1200
Accessed: 2026-11-09
Cited by: Findings citing this exhibit

Cited by

Finding MED-9.1: Peer-reviewed Published estimates of US deaths caused by medical care range from about 22,000 to about 251,000 a year. The range comes from what each study counts.
Finding MED-9.2: Peer-reviewed An estimated 106,000 hospitalized Americans died in 1994 from reactions to drugs that were correctly prescribed and given. These deaths are the largest component of the most-cited total of deaths from medical care.