What are causative factors in the phenomenon that when doctors strike the death rate goes down or does not increase.
There are several million incidents of iatrogenic or physicain, drug, therapist death and many more of iatrogenic injury every year around the world.
Why?
Does greed for money cause unnecessary surgeries and toxic tests such as colonoscopies which rupture intestinal walls, barium enemas causing poisonous effects? Needle technique can harm veins. Improper drug dosages can kill or maim.
Does the cut burn and poison of 'therapies' surgery, radiation and chemotherapy add to unnecessary deaths? Do toxic drugs cause deaths? Is there a single drug on the market without a list of poisonous side effects? What about the staph infections endemic in many hospitals?
Food in many hospitals is substandard.
Doctors struck in 1984 in Varkaus Finland. No increase in the death rate was seen.
In 2003, 4 hospitals closed in Toronto. Many operations were cancelled. . The greater Toronto area death rate went down.
Doctors struck in 1983 for 4 months in Israel... there was no change in the death rate
The British Medical Journal reported in June 2000 on another Israeli strike 3 months went by and death rates fell significantly in cities of strikes
Doctors in 1976 struck in Los Angeles County for a month.The death rate droped 18%.
It is said that in World War 2 with doctors drafted to areas outside the US, the death rate within the US went down.
Footnote:
Some of the above are cited in an article by Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2741/when-doctors-go-on-strike-does-the-death-rate-go-down
Why?
Does greed for money cause unnecessary surgeries and toxic tests such as colonoscopies which rupture intestinal walls, barium enemas causing poisonous effects? Needle technique can harm veins. Improper drug dosages can kill or maim.
Does the cut burn and poison of 'therapies' surgery, radiation and chemotherapy add to unnecessary deaths? Do toxic drugs cause deaths? Is there a single drug on the market without a list of poisonous side effects? What about the staph infections endemic in many hospitals?
Food in many hospitals is substandard.
Doctors struck in 1984 in Varkaus Finland. No increase in the death rate was seen.
In 2003, 4 hospitals closed in Toronto. Many operations were cancelled. . The greater Toronto area death rate went down.
Doctors struck in 1983 for 4 months in Israel... there was no change in the death rate
The British Medical Journal reported in June 2000 on another Israeli strike 3 months went by and death rates fell significantly in cities of strikes
Doctors in 1976 struck in Los Angeles County for a month.The death rate droped 18%.
It is said that in World War 2 with doctors drafted to areas outside the US, the death rate within the US went down.
Footnote:
Some of the above are cited in an article by Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2741/when-doctors-go-on-strike-does-the-death-rate-go-down
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