3 ms·

Well, you don't really know how many deaths were prevented. You have what is effectively public relations arm of the industry computing those numbers. However

Well, you don't really know how many deaths were prevented. You have what is effectively public relations arm of the industry computing those numbers. However, iatrogenic causes are said to be the third largest cause of death in the US. There are various values bandied about, but I think this is in the order of 225,000 deaths per annum. So, this is to say, doctors taking an incorrect action eg prescribing the wrong drug, wrong amount, catching MRSA in hospital, etc, is the third largest cause of death. I think, but cannot be sure, that this was the case for someone in my family. An elderly relative who had been on the same medication for 40 years, had their medicine changed. Within a month, that person had a stroke, and was dead a year later. Obviously this is anecdotal, and I actually don't think this would even have counted as a iatrogenic death statistic, but it does indicate how this could be the case. And that the actual iatrogenic death numbers could be higher, if it were possible to get accurate breakdowns of causes of death.

cinntaile 6y ago
Are you calling the WHO the public relations arm of the pharmaceutical industry? Most statistics regarding diseases and disease outcomes are collected by the national health services in a country, not by the pharmaceutical industry.
- feralimal 6y ago
  Who funds them?
  - nix23 6y ago
    Here you can read for yourself: https://www.who.int/about/planning-finance-and-accountability/how-who-is-funded https://www.who.int/about/planning-finance-and-accountabilit...
- feralimal 6y ago
  And the statistics are a mess. With regards to coronavirus, people who die "with" coronavirus and die of say, a heart attack, are being counted as coronavirus deaths. They aren't dying "of" the virus, they just happen to have it. But this doesn't count as a heart attack statistic. Not to forget, that there are financial incentives for doctors and hospitals to mark deaths as coronavirus deaths.
  - cinntaile 6y ago
    Of course they're a mess, we don't live in a black or white world. It doesn't mean that you should disgard them though. People don't die of coronavirus. They always die of some other cause like cardiac arrest, internal bleeding, organ failure, ... Let's take your specific example. Where do you draw the line between corona virus and cardiac arrest? In practice there will be many cases where the distinction is not clear cut.
    - feralimal 6y ago
      Yes. Its not clear cut. But they are all being counted as coronavirus. The statistics are gamed to prove the case.

cinntaile 6y ago

Are you calling the WHO the public relations arm of the pharmaceutical industry? Most statistics regarding diseases and disease outcomes are collected by the national health services in a country, not by the pharmaceutical industry.

feralimal 6y ago
Who funds them?
- nix23 6y ago
  Here you can read for yourself: https://www.who.int/about/planning-finance-and-accountability/how-who-is-funded https://www.who.int/about/planning-finance-and-accountabilit...
feralimal 6y ago
And the statistics are a mess. With regards to coronavirus, people who die "with" coronavirus and die of say, a heart attack, are being counted as coronavirus deaths. They aren't dying "of" the virus, they just happen to have it. But this doesn't count as a heart attack statistic. Not to forget, that there are financial incentives for doctors and hospitals to mark deaths as coronavirus deaths.
- cinntaile 6y ago
  Of course they're a mess, we don't live in a black or white world. It doesn't mean that you should disgard them though. People don't die of coronavirus. They always die of some other cause like cardiac arrest, internal bleeding, organ failure, ... Let's take your specific example. Where do you draw the line between corona virus and cardiac arrest? In practice there will be many cases where the distinction is not clear cut.
  - feralimal 6y ago
    Yes. Its not clear cut. But they are all being counted as coronavirus. The statistics are gamed to prove the case.