On May 3, 2016, the BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) renewed a patient safety and medical negligence scaremongering campaign by publishing an article authored by cancer surgeon Martin Makary, M.D. and Michael Daniel, a research fellow, both faculty of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.  In the article, the authors claim that 250,000 Americans die in hospitals every year due to neglectful and incompetent treatment by nurses and physicians.  Dr. Makary has, as an avocation, patient safety research and advocacy. The title of the Makary article in the BMJ created a splash and coverage by the general media with widespread publicity, as intended.  For example, "Medical error – the third leading cause of death in the US."  However, it is our assertion that the authors' claim plays to publication bias and the propaganda of a patient safety crusade that repeatedly exaggerates and invents a scare about hospital care negligence....(Read Full Article)