Medical Ethics
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Evolving Ethics of ‘Right to Try’ Unproven Drugs
Ethical concerns persist regarding seriously ill patients who want the chance to try unproven, unapproved drugs.
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Ethical Concerns if Clinical Trial Results Go Unreported
Study participants believe investigators are conducting their research to promote the public good and scientific advancement. But leaving trial data unpublished creates its own kind of bias, possibly harming the public.
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Palliative Care Encounters Ethical Conflicts: Consistent Communication Is Key
Palliative care specialists encounter a wide range of ethical challenges in their day-to-day practice, such as navigating institutional policies, interprofessional conflicts, and resource allocation.
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Consultants Need Preparation for Common Ethics Challenges
Shadowing experienced ethics consultants and participating in debriefings after consults with other members of the ethics team are top priorities for ethics training.
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Ethics Consultants Want More Training for First Jobs
Clinical bioethics training programs serve a wide variety of individuals, some with clinical backgrounds, others with PhDs. Most graduates indicated that their basic training in ethics was adequate. Still, many wanted more training in quality improvement skills, including some exposure to quality improvement methodology. They also wanted to learn how to negotiate for resources and how to communicate with hospital leadership.
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Policy on Inappropriate Treatment Used in 25% of Ethics Consults
This suggests providers are searching for definitive tools, in addition to the ethics committee, to help resolve difficult end-of-life cases.
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Defense Verdict Rejects $16 Million Demand, but 14-Minute Deliberation Gives Rise to an Appeal
A widow filed a malpractice action alleging a hospital’s failure to evaluate the patient, which would have revealed extreme respiratory distress. The patient’s death was caused by a lack of oxygen. Experts testified that if the patient had been placed on a ventilator, he would have had a significantly higher chance of surviving his condition, pneumonia. Following a seven-day trial, the jury rendered a defense verdict after a mere 14 minutes of deliberation. The plaintiff brought a post-trial motion seeking to overturn the decision, and the court ordered a new trial.
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Complications from Gastric Bypass Surgery Result in Brain Injury, $14.1 Million Award
A patient underwent gastric bypass surgery, but suffered permanent brain damage because of post-surgery complications and requires around-the-clock care for the rest of her life. The patient sued, alleging that the physician who performed the procedure failed to recognize that she was suffering from a severe thiamine and vitamin B1 deficiency, which led to her injuries. A jury awarded a $14.1 million verdict. The defendant physicians appealed, but the appellate court affirmed the verdict.
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Patients with HIV More Likely to Take Medication Described as ‘Cure’
Clinicians and researchers should improve informed consent so that people living with HIV have a realistic understanding of treatment options and possible outcomes.
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Informed Consent Remains a Process, Not a Checkbox
E-consent can make informed consent easier, but researchers must avoid turning the process into a mindless task.