Medical Ethics Advisor – October 1, 2011
October 1, 2011
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Kaiser Permanente changes landscape for hospital ethics
While most people know Kaiser Permanente is a managed care organization, what many might not know is that it encompasses eight states, and the southern California region of Kaiser instituted a distinctive bioethics program that is unlike any other. -
Disaster preparedness for mentally impaired
Planning for disaster response generally has overlooked the special needs of people who suffer from pre-existing and serious mental conditions, say bioethicists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Survivors already diagnosed with schizophrenia, dementia, addictions, and bipolar disorder are vulnerable long before a disaster strikes, they point out. -
Community engagement-mental health research
Applying community engagement to mental health research can help researchers design studies that incorporate the priorities of people with mental illness and arrive at the best strategies for working with them. -
Organ trafficking truth or urban myth?
All over the world, illegal organ trafficking is being reported. Most people have probably heard the urban myths of many out-of-country vacationers who wake up in a bathtub full of ice and their kidneys removed. -
Muslim beliefs shape healthcare attitudes
The perceived role of God in illness and recovery is a primary influence upon the healthcare beliefs and behaviors of American Muslims, a recent study has discovered. Outreach and education efforts by the healthcare community can help address Muslim concerns and improve healthcare quality in this rapidly growing population, the report recommends. -
HHS regs enhanced for human research
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the federal government is contemplating various ways of enhancing the regulations overseeing research on human subjects. -
High schoolers learn about protections
As high school students get exposed to more sophisticated science and health programs, some are also having their first encounters with human subjects protection issues. -
Test can determine fetal sex at 7 weeks
According to a recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA),1 a simple blood test can determine a baby's sex as early as seven weeks into pregnancy is highly accurate if used correctly. -
Conference analyzes ethics in research
When you have blood taken for a test or have tissue removed for a biopsy, it might be used for medical research. While there are clear benefits to such research, medical and healthcare professionals need to be aware of cultural and confidentiality concerns on the part of patients. -
Palliative care group comments on ethics
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) issued a position statement and commentary, "Hospice and Palliative Care: Ethical Marketing Practices," that guides providers to the use of sound, ethical practices that enhance the perception of hospice in the community.