Medical Ethics
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Informed Consent Forms Omit Specifics on Overlapping Surgery
Many hospitals fail to disclose overlapping surgeries in consent forms, raising concerns about autonomy and transparency. Clearer communication, standardized disclosures, and consistent practices are recommended to build patient trust while maintaining efficiency and trainee involvement.
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Physicians Have Ethical Obligation to Provide Palliative Care: New Guidance
The American Medical Association affirms that physicians are ethically obligated to provide palliative care at any stage of illness and in all care settings. Barriers include training gaps, resource shortages, and cultural sensitivity issues, requiring expanded education and systemwide integration.
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Ethical Approaches to Obtain Surrogate’s Research Consent for Critically Ill Patient
Best practices for surrogate consent in critical care research include minimizing coercion, giving surrogates time and space, and ensuring decisions reflect patient values. Strategies to address family disagreements and confirming patient autonomy also are important.
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Early Goals of Care Conversations Ensure Ethical Care in the ED
Integrating goals of care discussions and palliative consults early in the emergency department improves patient-centered outcomes, reduces unnecessary intensive interventions, and lowers costs. Early engagement aligns treatment with patient wishes and helps avoid ethical conflicts.
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Clinicians May Not Be Following Hospital Policies on Withdrawing/Withholding Life-Sustaining Treatments
Although most hospitals have policies on limiting life-sustaining treatment, many clinicians misunderstand, overlook, or inconsistently apply them. Greater education, ethics consultation, and standardized procedures are needed to ensure fairness, safeguard autonomy, and guide appropriate medical care.
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Surge of Scientific Fraud Is a Persistent, Rapidly Growing Ethical Problem
The rise of “paper mills” producing fraudulent research is undermining scientific integrity. Systemic pressures, institutional complicity, and weak detection systems accelerate the problem, threatening public trust in science and posing risks to health research.
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Organ Donation Practices Are Being Ethically Scrutinized: Communication Is a Key Concern
Ethical controversies in organ donation include missteps during procurement, poorly timed family communication, and debate over normothermic regional perfusion. Transparent dialogue, ethical safeguards, and better clinician training help to uphold patient and family values.
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Most Bioethicists View Social Justice as an Important Part of Ethics Role
Most bioethicists see social justice as central to their work. They address inequities by amplifying vulnerable patients’ voices, examining institutional policies, and advising leadership, ensuring healthcare decisions respect dignity, fairness, and broader social responsibilities.
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Studies Reveal Financial Conflicts Often Are Undisclosed, Raising Ethical Concerns
Physicians frequently fail to disclose financial conflicts of interest, undermining trust and objectivity. Discrepancies in reporting highlight the need for standardized disclosure policies, ethicist guidance, and stronger interventions to mitigate industry influence on medicine.
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Fraud Is Persistent, Pervasive Ethics Concern with Social Media Recruitment
Fraudulent participants increasingly compromise research recruitment via social media, threatening data integrity. Although verification methods can deter scams, they often create accessibility barriers, especially in disability research. Ethicists and institutional review boards must balance inclusivity with fraud prevention strategies.