Browse Medical Ethics Articles by Topic

Aggressive end-of-life care persists in cancer patients

Despite a 40% increase in the number of patients with cancer who designated a durable power of attorney, there was no decrease in the rates of aggressive medical care received in the last weeks of life, according to a recent study.

Study: Emergency doctors overstate treatment benefits

Emergency physicians overstated the risks of myocardial infarction and potential benefit of hospital admission to chest pain patients, according to a recent study of 425 patient-physician pairs.

Do nurses report moral distress after palliative sedation?

It’s not uncommon for nursing staff to report moral distress after administering palliative sedation to a patient who dies shortly afterward.

Caregivers of LVAD patients face “huge challenges”

Caregivers of patients with left ventricular assist devices face significant emotional, physical and financial burdens, according to a recent review.

Americans disagree with restricting access to OTC pain medications

Americans prefer education over restricted access to over-the-counter pain medications, according to a recent survey.

Are terminally ill patients referred to hospice? Physicians play biggest role

Physicians played the biggest role in whether terminally ill patients were referred to hospice care, according to a recent study.

When is the ICU Inappropriate? Clinicians now Have Guidelines

The American Thoracic Society supports the clinical team’s decision to not offer life-sustaining treatments in some circumstances.

Choose your words carefully

Some commonly used medical terms may mislead patients and family members, leading to misunderstandings about prognosis.

Medicare proposes paying for advance care planning

Proposed changes to the 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes a provision for two new advance care planning codes. These would be used to pay for a provider’s time discussing patient choices for advance directives and completing necessary forms.

Cystic fibrosis patients face ethical issues with direct-to-consumer genetic testing

Researchers surveyed 47 patients with cystic fibrosis and 65 parents of children with cystic fibrosis to assess their views on direct-to-consumer carrier tests; most indicated they preferred healthcare systems to provide testing, as opposed to commercial companies.