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Previous Volume 355:734-736 August 17, 2006 Number 7 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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To the Editor: I am troubled by two apparent contradictions in the conclusions reached by Studdert et al. (May 11 issue)¹ in their article on medical malpractice litigation. First, why do they say that accounts of "frivolous litigation are overblown" when they found that about 40 percent of malpractice claims show no error or physical injury? Second, if plaintiffs' lawyers truly believe that meritless lawsuits are "bad business," why are there so many?

Although the authors did not look at defensive medicine and its negative effect on physicians' morale and how it compels many physicians to view patients as potential . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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