Articles tagged with Medical Ethics
Leading ethicists argue that mandatory flu vaccination for healthcare staff is ethically justified due to the risks of nosocomial infections and staff shortages. In contrast, a COVID-19 vaccine mandate is considered unethical due to the low risk of serious illness among younger staff and concerns over coercion.
A new study in Nepal reveals that the desire for a son can lead to shorter breastfeeding durations for girls, resulting in a greater risk of infant mortality. The research found that girls with only older sisters had the shortest breastfeeding duration.
The University of Birmingham has published new ethical guidelines for the collection of patient-reported outcomes in clinical research. The guidelines aim to reduce risk and burden for participants while increasing participation in research and protecting their welfare.
Two studies found that approximately one in eight doctors experienced high levels of moral distress, which increased the risk of anxiety, depression, and burnout. Healthcare organizations can reduce moral distress by providing opportunities for discussing ethical concerns and supporting staff well-being.
A bioethicist contends that crisis-care protocols should ignore patients' age, proposing instead a patient-specific values approach. She suggests using a Clinical Frailty Scale to predict near-term survival and considers a lottery as the fairest way to prioritize individuals under dire conditions.
A new Hastings Center special report calls on bioethics to take a lead in addressing racial injustice and health inequities in the US. The report highlights structural racism and anti-Black racism in healthcare settings and proposes transformations in bioethics scholarship, education, and research.
Researchers argue that restrictive policies are outdated and unfair, suggesting new legislation to facilitate direct contact between donor families and organ recipients. The team cites examples of provinces like British Columbia and Nova Scotia, which have mechanisms in place for mediating direct contact.
A simulated crisis-care event revealed the moral distress experienced by triage team members who had to prioritize patients for scarce resources. The study aimed to operationalize a process for making life-and-death patient decisions, but triage-team members struggled with balancing individual patient needs with fair resource allocation.
A new study reveals funding for fertility preservation policies varies across the UK, with Scotland offering the most inclusive approach. The study highlights the need for standardization of policies to ensure equal access to care for patients.
Research found that UK medical students are missing out on comprehensive abortion care education, with varying curricula and barriers to teaching cited by educators. Most medical schools provide compulsory education on ethical and legal aspects of abortion care, but clinical aspects are often inadequate, leading to concerns about futur...
The NCCN Annual Conference focuses on the cancer patient journey, featuring state-of-the-art practice algorithms, updates to clinical guidelines, and new therapies. Leading experts present treatment recommendations for various cancer types, including breast, colorectal, and lung cancer.
A recent study by Edith Cowan University highlights the lack of information available to women with a breech presenting baby. Women often feel pressured into having a caesarean section without being fully informed of all options, including vaginal birth and alternative techniques such as moxibustion.
As polygenic embryo testing becomes more accessible, experts raise concerns about profound ethical implications and unclear benefits. The use of polygenic risk scores during in vitro fertilization raises questions about social outcomes like educational attainment and justice issues.
A recent survey of over 3,200 NHS healthcare workers found that most preferred education and support as a solution to boost vaccination uptake. The study suggests that mandatory vaccinations may actually worsen trust and lead to thousands of staff leaving the profession.
The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) has published a special issue of The Anatomical Record examining its complex history and addressing structural racism and questionable ethics. The issue proposes recommendations for creating an inclusive future for the field.
A retrospective analysis found that socioeconomically disadvantaged older adults are at a higher risk of decline in function and cognition after an intensive care unit hospitalization. The study highlights the need to prioritize low-income seniors in rehabilitation and recovery efforts after critical illness.
A team led by City University of Hong Kong researcher Dr Zhang Qingpeng found that donating 46% to 80% of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries can significantly reduce infection rates and mortality. The study suggests prioritizing vaccines for countries with high incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates.
The Hastings Center Report examines four key considerations for assessing risk-trade-offs in the pandemic, including education, economies, healthcare, travel, social engagement, and medical countermeasures. The report also challenges traditional notions of advance directives in end-of-life care, proposing a new principle of patient aut...
A group of experts describe a decade of destitution and ill-health caused by the UK's hostile environment policies. The NHS employs teams that target vulnerable patients, delaying or withholding care, while thousands are wrongly turned away from services.
Researchers propose using NFT digital contracts to enable patients to specify who can access their personal health information and track sharing. This could help democratize health data and give individuals more control over their health information.
A new study from Oregon State University found that people with disabilities have been experiencing high levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social isolation was a major predictor for both conditions, exacerbated by limited access to healthcare, including delayed or canceled medical appointments.
Samuel Galgano and Pankaj Gupta have been named the 2022 Melvin M. Figley Fellow in Radiology Journalism and the 2022 Lee F. Rogers International Fellow in Radiology Journalism, respectively. They will attend the 2022 ARRS Annual Meeting and participate in the Editor’s Forum.
Physicians in Colorado are more willing than expected to provide medical aid in dying, with 81% open to discussing the topic and 88% willing to make referrals. However, 46% were unwilling to serve as consultants, highlighting the need for better understanding of the challenges physicians face in this practice.
The American Academy of Neurology issues a position statement on how to navigate consent issues for people with stroke, emphasizing the importance of advance health care directives and surrogate decision makers. Neurologists may need to guide patients' wishes and make decisions based on their best interests when time is of the essence.
A Rutgers-led study found that racial biases among health care providers may limit the number of Black women taking a daily pill to prevent HIV infection. The study also highlights how providers' racist beliefs can disadvantage Black women's access to PrEP, a medication up to 92% effective when taken correctly.
A new opinion piece argues that hospitals have an ethical duty to care for unvaccinated severe COVID-19 patients, even if it means delaying non-emergency procedures for vaccinated individuals. The author suggests a contingency care standard prioritizing emergency life-support regardless of vaccination status.
Researchers have discovered molecules that could be candidates for contraceptives or fertility enhancers using human blastoid models. These models also show promise in improving the self-organization of stem cells during IVF procedures.
A team of international researchers has developed a globally-applicable ethical code for ancient human DNA research, aiming to address social and cultural implications. The code proposes cooperation with stakeholders, minimal damage to human remains, and respect for indigenous communities' perspectives.
Researchers from Osaka University found that over half of intensive care workers experienced moral distress during the pandemic due to limited communication with patients and families. Virtual communication and psychological support were identified as potential solutions to prevent burnout and ensure proper medical care.
A proposal suggests that wealthier nations should pay a COVID-19 vaccine tax to support COVAX, an international initiative buying and distributing vaccines for the world's poorest. The tax would be proportional to how much they spend on jabs for their own populations.
A study published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that the Sputnik-V COVID vaccine elicits both robust antibody and T-cell responses. The research suggests that long-term immunity is possible, supporting the effectiveness of the vaccine against local virus variants.
The Comparing Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial found that nearly 7 in 10 patients with antibiotics avoided an appendectomy within three months. By four years, just under 50% had the surgery, suggesting both treatments are safe and valuable to patients differently based on unique symptoms and circumstances.
A recent study published in Nature Machine Intelligence challenges the long-held assumption that accuracy and fairness are mutually exclusive in machine learning. Researchers found that optimizing models for accuracy does not necessarily compromise fairness, particularly when adjustments are made to data, labels, and scoring systems.
A recent study highlights the negative effects of misinformation on stem cell therapies for COVID-19, including exaggerated claims and unregulated sales. The researchers advocate for increased enforcement of laws and regulations to protect patients and promote responsible science communication.
Researchers found that selecting the embryo with the lowest predicted risk score reduces disease risk more effectively than eliminating high-scoring embryos. However, polygenic embryo screening offers no guarantees about a baby's health and has limited effectiveness depending on factors like ancestry and age.
Researchers propose reinstating waiting time for recipients experiencing early post-transplant allograft failure within an expanded timeframe to boost transplant numbers. This policy change could potentially reduce the perceived patient-level risk of transplanting marginal organs and improve organ utilization.
The Hastings Center Report explores the debates around crisis standards of care, which involve health care rationing. Bioethicists offer alternative approaches to preserve life-years while adhering to beneficence, respect for persons, and justice.
The study found that nearly half of clinicians experience moral distress when treating end-stage renal disease in undocumented immigrants. Clinicians cited suffering patients due to inadequate dialysis as a primary factor contributing to their moral distress.
The removal of the 14-day rule from international guidelines on embryo research has sparked concerns among bioethicists about the lack of consideration for potential consequences. The authors argue that countries should not automatically amend their laws without thoughtful discussions involving stakeholders and citizens.
A survey of mostly African American adults found that vaccine hesitancy was greatest among those aged 18-29, with COVID-related housing insecurity increasing the odds by sevenfold. Younger individuals and those experiencing housing insecurity were more likely to be resistant to vaccination.
Researchers found no negative impact on families during the infant's first year of life after genome sequencing, even if genetic risk or carrier status were revealed. The study showed lower self- and partner-blame in families with sequencing information, suggesting it provided some degree of peace of mind.
A new proposal aims to enable parents to participate in decision-making about life-saving treatment for premature infants. This balance is crucial as treatment can do great harm, while without it, the infant dies. Guidelines vary between countries, with some allowing treatment up to gestational week 23.
More than 100 resolutions have been passed naming racism a public health crisis, with less than 1 in 5 explicitly mentioning funding for initiatives. The surge is linked to greater national attention brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and social justice movements.
The article considers the ethical issues surrounding enrolling children with neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome, in clinical trials. Parents may face difficult decisions about whether to enroll their children due to concerns about potential loss of positive aspects of their condition.
The National Institutes of Health's HEALthy Brain and Child Development study aims to identify the impacts of prenatal substance exposure on child development. A 50-state analysis of laws addressing substance use during pregnancy highlights diverse state-by-state policies, with some statutes being more punitive than others.
Clinical ethicists discuss activist language and its impact on healthcare crises, including triage policies and racial disparities. The article highlights four calls to action: recognizing barriers, supporting antiracism work, advocating for policy change, and engaging in institutional activism.
BCIs have the potential to profoundly shape human experience and sense of self, but also raise concerns about intellectual property, emotional data privacy, and exacerbating social inequalities. Global policymakers must intervene to prevent misuse and ensure equal access to neurotech.
The American Academy of Neurology provides ethical guidance for neurologists caring for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The position statement emphasizes the importance of respecting patient autonomy, involving families in care decisions, and addressing ethnic disparities in dementia diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers analyze case studies to develop a flexible decision support model for split liver transplantation, considering fairness and efficiency metrics. The study suggests oscillating between splitting and not splitting based on patient health and demographics.
A multinational team of researchers warns that embryo selection based on polygenic scores may not be effective in selecting healthier embryos and could lead to unintended consequences such as altering population demographics. The study calls for responsible communication and regulation of the technology.
The FDA's approval of aducanumab for Alzheimer's disease treatment has sparked ethical issues, with billions of dollars in Medicare resources at risk. Physicians face difficult choices between facilitating unjust access to the drug or denying it to desperate patients and families.
Environmental injustices, such as toxic landfills and chemical plants, are often located in predominantly Black, Latinx, and Indigenous neighborhoods, threatening the health of these populations. The Hastings Center Report highlights the need for bioethics to consider environmental injustice in its principles of justice.
A DNA-led framework is needed to reunite separated migrant families, prioritizing scientific rigor and rights protection. The proposed framework addresses trauma-informed protocols and existing standards for DNA technology, aiming to establish a global protocol for living family reunification.
Experts propose making general anaesthesia available to dying patients, citing high public support. This would provide unconsciousness during final moments, alleviating suffering.
A new paper by Kyoto University researchers highlights the ethical implications of brain organoid research, which could lead to breakthroughs in treating diseases like dementia or schizophrenia. However, transplanting brain organoids raises concerns about consciousness, morality, and potential risks to patients.
The BioRescue consortium has developed an ethical risk assessment framework called ETHAS to evaluate the use of assisted reproductive technologies in species conservation. The tool assesses animal welfare, safety, and ethics, helping the team make informed decisions.
The Global Harmonization Initiative aims to establish a legislative framework for recognized food safety professionals, promoting formal requirements for education, registration, and professional bodies. This move seeks to enhance food safety practices globally by setting standards for roles in managing food safety.
The article suggests paying for elderly care homes in lower-income countries as a practical solution to the eldercare crisis. The proposed policy would enable older citizens to access affordable and decent care, while also benefiting local economies.
A cohort study found that switching from TDF to TAF-containing ART was associated with significant weight increases, obesity, and rising blood lipid levels in people living with HIV. The study suggests individualized preference for TAF over TDF should be accompanied by repeated assessment of cardiometabolic risk factors.
The Medical University of Vienna has received the original drawings and materials of the famous Pernkopf Atlas of Anatomy from Elsevier, along with funding for digitization and cataloguing. The donation supports historical reappraisal of the atlas's creation, which used models from executed victims of Nazi justice.