Medical Ethics Advisor
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Study: Surrogates Sometimes Place Own Wishes Over Patient’s
Surrogate decision-makers are valuing what they think is best for the patient more than they value patient preferences in the process of making medical decisions for them, found a recent study.
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Ethical Debate Continues Over Genetically Modified Human Embryos
The first-known experiment creating genetically modified human embryos in the U.S. using a gene-editing tool called CRISPR reignited ethical debate on this type of research.
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Advance Care Planning Often ‘Useless’: Providers Can’t Always Access in EHRs
With electronic health records, patients’ advance care planning should be only a mouse click away. Too often, this isn’t reality.
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‘Ever-Expanding Options’ Prolong Life, but Spark Conflicts
Surrogates may be struggling to let go of a loved one, may not understand clinical realities, or may have religious or cultural beliefs about withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining medical interventions. Regardless of the reason, families sometimes want to “do everything” when the clinical team feels it’s time to stop.
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Study: Only About One-third of Adults Completed Advance Directives
Only about one-third (37%) of U.S. adults had completed any type of advance directive, found a recent review of studies.
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Revised Common Rule Is Changing Informed Consent
The recently updated Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, also called the Common Rule, is changing informed consent practices in two important ways.
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Can Intoxicated Patients Provide Informed Consent for Research?
It’s not uncommon for ED patients to present with acute intoxication. This complicates not only their clinical care, but also the informed consent process. A recent study set out to determine to what extent acute alcohol intoxication affects capacity to assent, consent, or refuse research participation.
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Unethical Marketing Practices for Stem Cell Treatments Continue
Recently passed legislation allows Texas clinics to bypass FDA approval for investigational stem cell treatments for patients with certain severe chronic diseases or terminal illnesses. The law alarmed ethicists who have been monitoring these practices.
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Patients Without Surrogates Pose Ethical Challenges at End of Life
The issue of incapacitated patients lacking surrogates has received growing attention, resulting in a newly updated position statement and several case studies.
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Increased Hospice Length of Stay for Children Receiving Palliative Care
Children who receive palliative care have increased hospice length of stay, according to a recent study.