Medical Ethics Advisor
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Hospitals Disproportionately Sue Low-Income, Rural, and Black Patients
One expert believes ethicists should serve as a "moral compass for hospitals," pushing facility leaders to consider whether engaging in litigation like this is the best course of action.
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Access Problems with Pediatric Mental Healthcare Raise Ethical Worries
Mental health insurance claims roughly doubled for teens in March and April 2020 compared to those same months in 2019. However, only half of parents who tried to obtain mental healthcare for their children succeeded in doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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IRBs Are Reviewing Artificial Intelligence Research, Outside Expertise Needed
How might IRBs be adapted to address ethics oversight of health-related artificial intelligence research?
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Clinicians’ Confusion over Brain Death Criteria Persists
There are inconsistencies between standards and institutional protocols and clinical practice. Inconsistencies can erode clinician and public trust in the determination of death by neurologic criteria. Inconsistencies also can cause false-positive determinations in which a patient is incorrectly determined to be dead. Ethicists should advocate for ensuring clinicians involved in the determination of death by neurologic criteria are equipped with appropriate expertise.
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Expedited Approval of Medications Calls Evidence Standards into Question
Patients want quick access to medications that are proven safe and effective. But how fast is too fast?
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Industry Payments to Surgeons Increased Despite Transparency Requirements
Despite the fact data on industry payments are publicly available, it does not appear to be causing patients to be suspicious of doctors’ integrity. To many patients, the transparency over financial ties suggests the physician is straightforward and can be trusted. Patients generally do not focus on the potentially problematic implications of clinicians accepting payments from industry.
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Incentives for Online Surveys Boost Research Participation, But Fraud Remains a Concern
All researchers should consider fraud detection safeguards early in the study planning and design process. Allot the necessary time and resources to ongoing, rigorous data quality checks, and invest in fraud detection technology.
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Remote Consults Expand Reach of Ethics, But Complex Cases Remain Challenging
It is too difficult for an ethicist to mediate and facilitate if he or she is not physically present in the room.
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Single IRB Concerns Include IT Limitations, Process Variations
Consistency, standardization, speed and efficiency, and simplification are reported benefits. Challenges include timeliness of the research review process, insufficient communication, and uncertainty at local institutions.
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Screening Tests to Determine Study Eligibility Are Not Foolproof
IRBs and researchers should expand eligibility criteria to diversify representation, remove extraneous inclusion/exclusion criteria, and eliminate some screening tests if they are not strictly necessary, particularly tests that produce many false-negative or false-positive results.