Medical Ethics Advisor – June 1, 2022
June 1, 2022
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NFTs Could Give Patients Control Over Who Accesses Medical Data
Personal health information carries indisputable value to individuals — both clinically and financially. Yet, as it stands, patients have little or no say on how their own health data are shared. Some ethicists argue nonfungible tokens (NFTs) can be used to create a more ethical and transparent system.
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The Reproducibility Crisis in Clinical Trial Research
Theoretically, a researcher should be able to reproduce any clinical trial and see the same or similar findings. Yet the long-standing “reproducibility crisis” in science persists, resulting in a surge of new analyses and recommendations.
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Ethicists Attend ‘Unconference,’ Tackle Tough Problems Facing the Field
Traditional ethics conferences often focus on theoretical, less practical topics. In contrast, the "Unconference" prioritizes abstracts and sessions that aim to propel the field forward, and to address practical problems facing the field.
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Patterns of Egregious Physician Sexual Misconduct Require Ethical Response
If the perception is highly publicized cases of sexual misconduct go unpunished, this could erode public trust of physicians generally. Although those accused of sexual misconduct are entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, all cases must be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.
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Critical Care Nurse Researchers Must Know IRB Process
Many critical care nurses are involved in study recruitment. Lack of basic knowledge on how IRBs work can hinder this process.
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Unique Challenges for IRBs Evaluating Radiation Oncology Study Protocols
There may be few if any radiation oncology investigators at some institutions, and radiation therapy involves rapidly advancing technology. In light of this, IRBs might lack the necessary expertise to review these studies.
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The Ethics of Creating a National Congenital Heart Disease Database
The population of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) continues to expand, as patients live longer thanks to advances in surgical and medical care. Thus, there has been increasing interest in creating an ACHD national database for both quality and research purposes.
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Build Emergency Care Research on Strong Regulatory, Financial Foundation
There are some notable gaps in studies of the ethics of emergency care in low- and middle-income countries, according to the authors of a recent analysis.
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Consult Services Should Address Racism and Bias
Hospitals are addressing health equity and combatting racism in all areas, including ethics. Members of an ethics consult service can develop recommendations for consultants to help address health equity and promote anti-racism, both in care of individual patients and in institutional policy.
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Conflict Common Between ICU Clinicians
Ethicists often are seen as a neutral party. Their review of a situation can help provide space to reflect on how the conflict arose.
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Participant Distress Is Concern for IRBs Reviewing Child Maltreatment Studies
Surveys measuring prevalence of child maltreatment are important knowledge, but IRBs might overestimate the risk to participants.