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Use proven strategies when conflicts arise over withdrawing futile treatments

Conflict surrounding withdrawal of futile treatments is one of the most common reasons for ethics consults being called.

Are consultants called the “ethics police?” What’s behind clinicians’ attitudes

At times, providers react negatively to the involvement of ethics; “ethics police” is an often-used derogatory term reflecting this attitude.

Report: Bioethics programs’ reproductive education doesn’t reflect needs of practicing OB/GYNs

Researchers conducted parallel surveys of directors of graduate bioethics training programs and obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) in order to learn whether reproductive health education in bioethics programs reflected real-life concerns for practicing physicians.

“Don’t worry about the cost” doesn’t reflect patients’ reality

"Don’t worry about the cost. All that matters is getting you well.” Well-meaning physicians frequently say this, but in fact, patients have good reason for wanting to know what care will cost them.

Ethical controversy erupts over minors’ autonomy

In the controversial “Cassandra C” case, a 17-year old Connecticut girl diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma was ordered by the state Supreme Court to undergo chemotherapy against her will. The girl refused further treatment after undergoing surgery to remove a lymph node, but as of press time is being kept in a hospital room under court order.

Comic assent/informed consent for biobanking is accessible

As IRBs continue to evaluate informed consent (IC) and youth assent forms according to regulatory guidelines and readability, researchers have come up with a format that engages, informs, and even entertains people being asked to participate in biobanking: comic assent.

How do IRBs or PIs Rate the Risk of Ordinary Life Experiences?

What might bring emotional distress to one person could be a shoulder-shrug to another.

Study: Clinical trial site violations not reported in peer-reviewed literature

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in February found that serious violations of good clinical practice discovered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at clinical trial sites are not mentioned in peer-reviewed publications in which the trial results are published.

Here’s what a certification study group program looks like

The only thing better than forming an in-house IRB certification study group is forming a multi-institutional IRB certification group, according to a pair of IRB managers who found good results with their three-institution CIP study group.

Certification testing can be more successful, less stressful with study group method

As IRB professionals increasingly invest in their careers and seek certification, they sometimes find that taking the certification test can be stressful and all-consuming.