Medical Ethics Advisor – May 1, 2020
May 1, 2020
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All Eyes on Ethics: Pandemic Means ‘Shift from Status Quo’
The diverse backgrounds of clinical ethicists have strengthened COVID-19 responses at many hospitals. Patients and family, clinicians, and administrators are turning to ethics for help.
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Ethical Policies if Critical Care Resources Become Scarce
If and when there are not enough ventilators for all the COVID-19 patients who need them, hospitals can expect lots of public scrutiny. Clear, consistent, and transparent policies can make the ethical rationale behind decisions obvious to everyone.
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Ethicists Explain Worst-Case Scenario Policies While Exercising Caution
Clinicians nationwide suddenly have multiple urgent concerns on hypothetical COVID-19 scenarios. They are turning to ethicists for answers. At a Missouri-based system, ethicists are working on policies regarding balancing the public good with patients’ right to leave against medical advice, critical care allocation, and modified visitation.
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With Remote Ethics Consults, Nonverbal Communication Is Lost
Normally, ethics consults include plenty of talking, mostly in-person, with patients, families, and clinicians. The need for more remote consults during the COVID-19 pandemic means missing all the communication that happens through facial expressions and body language.
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Transparency Is Central Ethical Concern During COVID-19 Pandemic
Developing an ethical framework before disasters helps leaders make better-informed, values-based decisions. This also engenders public trust, easing fear and reducing misinformation.
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Shortcuts in Clinical Trials May Cause More Harm Than Good
All clinical trials raise certain ethical issues. But trials conducted during epidemics are especially difficult, both ethically and practically. Poorly designed studies subject patients to the risks of adverse events without learning if the intervention works.
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The COVID-19 Vaccine: Usual Ethical Questions in Unusual Times
Informed consent, protection of human subjects, fairness of testing, and eventual distribution: These all are important ethical questions and considerations surrounding the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.
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Healthcare Workers’ Well-Being Is Ethical Concern During Pandemic
Clinicians always face some risk as they carry out routine duties, including acquiring infection or sustaining injury. However, the pandemic has significantly increased these risks, with healthcare providers around the world acquiring the infection at work.