Browse Medical Ethics Advisor Articles by Topic

Getting Buy-in For Including Cost in Decision-making is Uphill Battle

Any talk of considering costs in treatment decisions usually triggers an immediate outcry against “rationing” of care, experts say.

Is Hospital Keeping Spiritual Care Promises In Mission Statement?

Ethicists and chaplains can hold health systems accountable for mission statements referencing “whole person” care and spiritual health.

‘Betraying Trust’ of Subjects is Ethical Concern of Unpublished Clinical Trial Data

Ethicists call for research funders to require publication of all completed trials or to make study data publicly available to other investigators.

Ethics of Televised Prescription Drug Ads

There is widespread public support for removing televised prescription drug ads, according to a 2016 telephone survey of 1,006 U.S. adults.

Only Half of Veterans with Advanced Cancer Receive Palliative Care, Says Study

Patients with advanced cancer should receive palliative care soon after diagnosis, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology — but a recent study shows this is true for only half of veterans.

Ethical Concerns if Patients are Abusive to Providers

Healthcare providers in the hospital setting are encountering increasing incidents of rude — and sometimes violent — patients and family.

Study: Most Physicians Reported for Sexual Misconduct Aren’t Disciplined by Medical Boards

Most physicians reported by hospitals, medical societies, and malpractice insurers to the National Practitioner Data Bank for sexual misconduct have never been disciplined by their state medical board for that behavior, a recent study found.

Increase in Industry-Funded Trials Raises Concerns

More clinical trials are industry-funded, with fewer funded by the National Institutes of Health, raising concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest.

Surprising Data on Hospice in Nursing Homes: It Doesn’t Increase Care Costs

Providing hospice services in the last six months of life for nursing home residents does not increase costs, found a recent study.

Updated Code of Medical Ethics Arrives: What Changes Mean

The American Medical Association’s Code of Medical Ethics has been newly modernized, with hope that increasing numbers of practicing physicians, residents, and medical students will turn to it for guidance.