Re: Is a bug RC relevant if it has an influence on the health of a person

To: Andreas Tille <andreas@an3as.eu>

Cc: Debian Developers <debian-devel@lists.debian.org>

Subject: Re: Is a bug RC relevant if it has an influence on the health of a person

From: Karsten Hilbert <Karsten.Hilbert@gmx.net>

Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 12:03:58 +0200

Message-id: <[🔎] 20100909100358.GJ2820@hermes.hilbert.loc>

In-reply-to: <[🔎] 20100909094049.GB4649@an3as.eu>

References: <[🔎] 20100909094049.GB4649@an3as.eu>

On Thu, Sep 09, 2010 at 11:40:49AM +0200, Andreas Tille wrote: > with GNUmed we currently have a case where a bug is not RC regarding the > computer system and would not match our criterion of RC bugs. However, > the influence of this bug might harm the health of patients of the > doctor who might use this version of GNUmed. > > If needed upstream will give some more details Hi, I am (one of) upstream; both developer and Medical Doctor (GP). The problem Andreas is talking about is this: Let's assume I am your GP. I prescribe the drug SugarWater(tm) against ObsessionForPackaging for you. Next day you must be admitted to hospital by emergency ambulance because it turns out you had a severe allergic reaction to Sugar (one component of SugarWater). We call that "anaphylactic reaction" [1] and you barely survive. When you return to my office I duly document your allergy to Sugar. However, you still need and receive Water for ObsessionForPackaging which we tried to treat with SugarWater. A week later you return and show me a new skin rash (exanthema). You suspect that you are also allergic to Water, the second component of SugarWater (remember, you still take Water pills every day, we only stopped Sugar because you were allergic to *that*). Now, because of your bad experience with Sugar and the new reaction to Water, you fear you will also develop an anaphylactic shock to Water (this is medically fairly unlikely but the fear is understandable). So we decide to use an entirely different drug against ObsessionForPacking. I also duly note your additional reaction towards Water in your EMR (which is GNUmed [2], the package in question). Here comes the bug: GNUmed will, given appropriate circumstances, OVERWRITE the first allergy against Sugar. Three years later, Debian 10 has been released and you return because of FatigueFromPackaging. I prescribe Sugar, which usually helps against FatigueFromPackaging. Your EMR does NOT contain the allergy entry for Sugar anymore because it was overwritten by the allergy to Water. You die in hospital because of a second anaphylactic reaction to Sugar. Of course, medico-legally I am responsible. However, didn't you wish we had discussed and solved this issue in Debian *today* ? ;-) Thanks for listening, Karsten Hilbert, MD, GP [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphylaxis [2] http://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=gnumed-client -- GPG key ID E4071346 @ wwwkeys.pgp.net E167 67FD A291 2BEA 73BD 4537 78B9 A9F9 E407 1346