Articles tagged with Medical Ethics
UCSF researchers suggest hospitalists should establish relationships of trust with patients and PCPs to ensure confidentiality, shared medical decision-making, and patient autonomy. Hospitalists can improve end-of-life care by discussing patients' preferences with PCPs and developing skills in addressing these issues.
Bioethicists at the University of Pennsylvania recommend updating protections for human research subjects in response to rapid changes in medical practice. The new guidelines prioritize vulnerable populations, including those with mental illnesses and pregnant women, and aim to prevent abuse and misconduct.
Drs. Jeremy Sugarman and Larry Burk argue that conventional clinicians have an ethical obligation to consider alternative medicine therapies, prioritizing patient autonomy, safety, and effectiveness. They emphasize the importance of respecting patients' choices while providing informed guidance.
Doctors face an ethical dilemma when patients request controversial screening tests without adequate scientific evidence. The medical community is divided on the routine use of mammograms in women under 50 and prostate specific antigen tests in men, highlighting the need for informed patient decision-making.
A study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that postmortem sperm procurement requests are increasing, with over half made between 1994 and 1995. Most requests were from wives seeking to create children for their deceased husbands.
UNESCO has issued a declaration stating that human cloning is unacceptable, citing ethical concerns and the preservation of humanity's infinite diversity. The organization's director-general has called for a world commission on ethics and science to tackle issues related to scientific developments beyond genetics.