A platform to learn lessons from PFDs to prevent future deaths.
In England and Wales, regulations are in place to capture information on preventable deaths, called Prevention of Future Deaths reports (PFDs). Yet little is being done to use this information to reduce premature deaths.
We, therefore, created the Preventable Deaths Tracker to collate this information and make it accessible to all. Our Tracker also shares systematic analyses of this information, to warn against repeat hazards and highlight important lessons, to improve public safety, reduce avoidable harms, and prevent premature deaths.
What’s in the Database?
As of 22 June 2022, the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary had uploaded 4001 Prevention of Future Deaths reports (PFDs). The graph below illustrates the number of PFDs published over time. You can see the latest individual data here.

What’s new?
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NEW PUBLICATION: Oxford medical student, Harrison France, published his research on 705 PFDs involving medicines in the journal Drug Safety! Take a read of the blog and publication.

NEW PUBLICATION: Oxford physics student, Qingyang Zhang, who was a 2022 Summer Intern, published her work on >4000 PFDs in the Medico-Legal Journal! Take a read of the blog and publication.