Medical Ethics
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People with Mental Illness Often Excluded from Clinical Trials
If a medication for major depression has a dangerous adverse interaction with a different medication that’s being studied in a clinical trial, will it be discovered by researchers and reported in the literature? Not likely, if no one enrolled in the study has major depression.
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Research on Brain Scan Risk of Alzheimer’s an Ethical Challenge
While different than genetic signs for dementia, biomarker information found in research brain scans also can suggest heightened risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, and thus the disclosure or withholding of results raises ethical questions for IRBs and investigators.
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Clinical Trial Addresses the Tricky Process of Revealing Genetic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s
Genetic research that could prevent or treat Alzheimer’s are under study. The caveat is that the human subjects recruited into trials must be willing to know if they carry the DNA markers that may predispose them to subsequent dementia.
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570 Clinics Found Marketing Unproven Stem Cell Treatments
Stem cell interventions are offered at 570 clinics, with generally unproven treatments being marketed to consumers, found a recent study.
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Cost Savings for Palliative Care in ACOs ‘Astounding,’ Say Researchers
Home-based palliative care within an accountable care organization was associated with significant cost savings, fewer hospitalizations, and increased hospice use in the final months of life, found a recent study.
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Ethical Responses if Patient is Offended by a Healthcare Provider’s Tattoos
If a healthcare provider’s visible tattoos offend a patient or family member, does this supersede the clinician’s rights to self-expression?
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Ethical Concerns if Cancer Drugs, and Science in General, are Overhyped
Half of the cancer drugs described with superlatives such as “breakthrough,” “groundbreaking” and “game-changer” were not yet approved as safe and effective, found a recent study.
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Surprising Conflicts of Advisory Committee Speakers
Much attention has been paid to clinicians with financial ties to industry and resulting conflicts of interest, but patients who speak at public meetings also have financial ties, found a recent analysis.
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Some Older, Chronically Ill Patients Don’t Realize They Have a Choice in Deciding Surgery
Patients and family members were surprised that postoperative recovery was so difficult, and lacked knowledge on advance directives and the fact that they could decline major surgery.
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When IRBs Take a Walk on the Wild Side: The Dark Web
What many IRBs might not know is that researchers increasingly are turning to the “dark web” for data.