Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Editorials

Reducing errors in medicine

BMJ 1999; 319 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.319.7203.136 (Published 17 July 1999) Cite this as: BMJ 1999;319:136

Rapid Response:

How stunning is the progress in aviation safety?

I am responding to your editorial on “reducing errors in medicine”
(1).

The article cites the United States airline fatality rate (1990-1994)
as 0.27 per 1 000 000 aircraft departures. The correct rate is 33 times
higher, 9.01 per 1 000 000 departures (2)

The authors refer to “stunning progress in safety in aviation” but
ignore general population changes in death rates.

United States death rates have decreased 39% in the last 40 years
(3). In the same time period, aviation fatality rates decreased 77%. This
two-fold differential is progress but is definitely not a tad close to
“stunning” (1).

United States death rates

                               1950’s    1990-94  Difference

Aviation fatality rate
per million departures	 (2)	39.5        9.0	     -77%

General death rate
per 100 000			841.5     513.7	     -39%
(age standardized)	(3)	

1) BMJ 1999, 319:136-137, 17 July

2) Air Transport Association

3) National Center for Health Statistics

Competing interests: United States death rates 1950’s 1990-94 DifferenceAviation fatality rateper million departures (2) 39.5 9.0 -77%General death rateper 100 000 841.5 513.7 -39%(age standardized) (3)

28 July 1999
Alex Richman
Editor, Aviation Quantitative Reports on Safety
AlgoPlus Consulting Limited, 502-5675 Spring Garden Road, Halifax NS Canada B3J 1H1