In this Q&A, Trevor Bibler, PhD, MTS, assistant professor at the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine, explains the ethical dilemma of transitioning patients who refuse to leave the hospital.
‘Three in four health workers in Africa remain unvaccinated’
January 19, 2022
COVID-19 booster shots are highly controversial from a global perspective. Similar to other industrialized nations, 75% of the people in United States have taken at least one dose, 63% are fully vaccinated, and 25% have received the booster. Yet, more than 30 countries worldwide have vaccinated less than 10% of their population.
There is a need for ethics review committees to improve oversight capacity for big data research, the authors of a recent paper argued. Researchers assessed the weaknesses of ethics review committees, some of which are not specific to big data research but could be exacerbated by it, and some that are specific to big data research.
Delayed study startup times obstruct the enrollment process for prospective participants in clinical trials with a therapeutic intent. That is an ethical concern. Delays in IRB approval hinder enrollment, data collection and analysis, and submissions to regulatory oversight agencies. It takes longer to learn if new therapies are effective and safe. Updated product labeling and product approvals are held up. This delays the opportunity for individuals and society at large to benefit from research.
The field of brain research sounds a lot like science fiction, but human neural organoids, human neural transplants, and human-animal chimeras all are imminent realities. IRBs are going to be facing some difficult decisions on whether this research can proceed. The authors of a recent report examined these issues.
Numerous real-life examples of artificial intelligence in healthcare already pose difficult ethical questions: Informed consent, patient privacy, transparency, allocation, and safety are a few. The authors of a recent paper argued artificial intelligence-related ethics training should begin in medical school.
Every day, hospital case managers must make decisions — large and small — that affect the lives of their patients. Some of these are ethical decisions — what the case manager “ought” to do in a given situation. Since many decisions must be made quickly, hospital case managers should consider their ethics and plan ahead rather than reacting solely in the moment.