Medical Ethics Advisor
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Impaired physicians have ethical obligation to self-report, experts say
Do physicians have diminished capacity as a result of substance abuse, burnout, behavioral or psychological issues, or physical illness? Regardless of the reason for impairment, physicians have an ethical obligation to protect their patients from harm.
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Parents eager for newborn genomic testing; ethical questions currently unanswered
Parents have widespread interest in genome sequencing for newborns, regardless of their demographic background, according to a recent study led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. Researchers queried 514 parents within 48 hours of a child’s birth.1
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Voice ethical concerns — not just during consults, but organizationwide
Clinical ethicists can voice concerns not just during consults involving individual patients, but also more generally to address organizationwide issues.
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Disruptive behavior isn’t always addressed, either in policy or practice
Disruptive behavior remains a common occurrence in health care; organizations may lack policies to identify, prevent, and address such behavior.
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How bioethicists can encourage disclosure of medical errors
Despite patients’ growing expectations that medical errors and unexpected outcomes will be disclosed openly, the practice is infrequent.
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Study: Residents uncomfortable with end-of-life conversations
Internal medicine residents remained uncomfortable with end-of-life care discussions even after receiving additional training, according to a recent study.
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Network of bioethicists gives guidance to investigators with research ethics issues
The Clinical Research Ethics Consultation, a group of 40 bioethicists at 30 institutions, helps investigators resolve ethical issues that arise during research.
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Measles outbreak puts spotlight on vaccine refusers: Providers need ethical responses
An increasing number of pediatricians are encountering families requesting an altered vaccine schedule or refusing vaccines altogether; some are responding by dismissing families from their practices, according to a study.
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Commission calls for integration of ethics into public health response
A February 2015 report from the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues explores ethical issues involving the Ebola epidemic and public health planning and response.
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Survey identifies key ethical dilemmas encountered by nurses
Hospice and palliative care nurses reported inadequate communication, provision of non-beneficial care, and discontinuation of life-prolonging therapies as some of the factors contributing to ethical issues, according to a recent survey.