Browse Medical Ethics Articles by Topic

Identifying Key Personality Traits Affected by Parkinson’s Disease, Deep Brain Stimulation

Parkinson’s disease and deep brain stimulation procedures sometimes used to treat it can alter personality, including key traits that make a person, in essence, who they are. While many patients and families report positive changes, there is a need to better identify exactly what personality characteristics may be affected and to what degree personality is altered.

‘Mere Presence’ of Ethicist Can Encourage Nursing Participation

At some hospitals, ethics consultations are viewed as clinical orders and can only be requested by physicians. Many nurses are eager for ethics advice, but they’re not always comfortable raising a concern on their own.

Emotional Support for Surrogates Linked to Better Decisions

Emotional support is important, and not only for surrogates’ psychological well-being: It’s also linked to the quality of their decision-making, found a recent study.

Initiative’s Goal: To Honor Seriously Ill Patients’ Wishes

The Veterans Health Administration's Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions Initiative was designed to ensure that the goals, values, and life-sustaining treatment decisions of patients with serious illness are elicited, documented, and honored.

Unique Informed Consent Challenges if Research Participant Is Incarcerated

Informed consent for research involving incarcerated people presents multiple unique ethical challenges for investigators.

‘Ethical Obligation to Go Further’ if Patients Are Nonadherent for Financial Reasons

Some patients cannot afford recommended care because of higher out-of-pocket costs due in part to a surge in high-deductible plans.

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.

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.

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.

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.