Medical Ethics
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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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Newest Oncology Studies Raise Ethical, Other Questions for IRBs
Clinical research — especially involving oncology trials — is evolving with the introduction of new therapies and therapeutic mechanisms. These raise new and sometimes challenging questions for IRBs reviewing the study protocols.
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Does Cancer Patient Want Fertility Preserved? Ethical Issues Arise
Oncofertility, a fairly new but growing field, addresses the special reproductive needs of cancer patients — but guidelines for how to deal with ethical dilemmas have not yet been established.
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‘Predatory’ Online Journals Charge Publication Fees — Minus Peer Review
Is your email box full of dubious-sounding offers to publish articles with very quick turnaround time — but only for a fee? Increasing numbers of “predatory” online medical journals solicit manuscripts and charge publication fees without providing peer review.
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Early Integrated Palliative Care Improved Cancer Patients’ Quality of Life
Early integrated palliative care improved quality of life for patients with newly diagnosed incurable cancers, found a recent study.
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‘Robust’ Error Disclosure Systems Needed for Pediatric Patients
Ethical obligations to disclose medical errors in the pediatric setting are very similar to those involving competent adults. Experts can provide guidance on how to frame information about a medical error in ways appropriate to the developmental, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual needs of each child.
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Study: Trial Results for New Neurological Drugs Often Go Unpublished
Results of clinical trials for “stalled” neurological drugs — those which had at least one completed Phase III trial but failed to receive FDA approval — are heavily underreported, found a new study.