Medical Ethics Advisor
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Ethics of Unilateral DNR Orders: Physicians Are Evenly Divided
Physicians are evenly divided as to whether unilateral do not resuscitate orders — decisions about resuscitation made by doctors without patient or surrogate consent — are appropriate, found a recent study.
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Ethics if Patient Wants to Transfer Embryos With Genetic Anomalies
Pre-implantation testing of embryos can detect genetic anomalies linked to serious health-affecting disorders. While patients rarely request that such embryos be transferred, it does happen.
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Report Examines How Research on Donated Organs Can Be Ethically Performed
Research on how to improve the quality and quantity of organs available for transplant poses multiple ethical challenges.
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ED Patients’ Documented DNR Status Might Conflict With Family’s Demands
Even if an ED patient’s do not resuscitate status is well-documented, family members may demand resuscitation — sometimes vehemently.
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Study: Timing of Advance Directive Linked to Aggressive End-of-Life Care
Did a patient complete an advance directive in his or her last months of life? If so, there is a greater chance of choosing aggressive care, found a recent study.
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Study: Residents Want to Be Involved in Error Disclosure
Residents’ error disclosure skills have improved over time, largely due to informal learning experiences, found a recent study.
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Ethical Controversy Persists in Medical Aid in Dying Laws
Recently passed state laws allowing physician-assisted death are in conflict with a newly updated position statement from the American College of Physicians objecting to the practice.
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Pain Research Can Harm Participants
Researchers must pay greater attention to the rights of study participants in pain research, concludes a recent paper by the Ethics Committee of the Pain-Omics Group.
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‘Little Quality Evidence’ for Marketing MRT as Fertility Treatment
The doctor who delivered the first “three-parent” baby is seeking to commercialize mitochondrial replacement therapy by marketing a treatment to older women who want to produce viable embryos — at a cost of $80,000 to $120,000.
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‘Decision-makers of Last Resort’ Pose Unique Ethical Challenges
Surrogates sometimes vehemently disagree, despite all attempts to resolve the conflict. In other cases, there’s simply no one to speak on the patient’s behalf. Either way, the clinical team is forced to turn to the courts or government if an important medical decision must be made.