- The results of a national survey of consumers reveal that carelessness and negligence, along with overworked and stressed-out health professionals, are the leading causes of medical mistakes.

The survey, conducted for the American Medical Association's National Patient Safety Foundation by Louis Harris & Associates, found that more than 100 million Americans have been touched by what they considered to be a medical mistake either personally or via a friend or relative.

At the top of the list of what respondents defined as medical mistakes were misdiagnosis and wrong treatments. Other frequently cited mistakes included medication errors and mistakes made during medical procedures.

Although data from the Harris survey cover medical mistakes of all types, some pharmacists believe that the findings confirm what they've been saying is at the root of medication errors.

"It's the same language that our survey showed; it's fascinating that the public is seeing that now," said Ralph Vogel, president of the Guild for Professional Pharmacists, a Woodland Hills, Calif. …