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(KSL News) The government estimates 98,000 people die every year from medical mistakes. And a new report just released today find kids are specifically vulnerable.
Diane Cousins, United States Pharmacopeia: "A dose for a child might be one milligram, but a dose for an adult might be 10 milligrams. That 10-fold error might not be as obvious to a health care professional handling the drug."
But mistakes happen to all of us. Last year in Indiana alone, 21 objects were left in patients after surgery, nine surgeries were performed on the wrong body part, and two on the wrong patient.
The federal government kicked off a new campaign today to try to make sure a medical mistake doesn't happen to you. It's called "Questions are the answer." The idea is to get patients to NOT be afraid to ask questions.
To find out what questions to ask your doctors, check out the Web site at your right.