How Dennis Quaid Became a Patient Advocate

On Monday, Dennis Quaid appeared on “The Early Show.” He talked about how he and his wife almost lost their newborn twins in 2007 as a result medical negligence.

According to Quaid, Thomas and Zoe Quaid were supposed to be given the anticoagulant drug, Hep-lock soon after their birth.  Hep-lock is a widely used anticoagulant designed for children. It is not nearly as potent as its adult counterpart, Heparin. By mistake, the newborns were given two doses of Heparin, which is 1,000 times stronger.  Quaid noted that the Heparin administration reduced the consistency of the newborns’ blood to that of water.  There was no justification for administering Heparin instead Hep-lock.

While the newborns managed to survive this ordeal, this experience has transformed Quaid into an active patient advocate. The actor helped create the Quaid Foundation, an organization dedicated to reducing medical errors. According to the article by CBS News:

Quaid has testified to Congress on behalf of patients’ rights, and Monday, he was to speak at the National Press Club to address the problem of dangerous medical mistakes.

The article further notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 99,000 deaths every year are due to preventable medical errors. This is shocking to say the least.

Contributing author: Jon Stefanuca