Medical Ethics Advisor – January 1, 2014
January 1, 2014
View Issues
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What do you know about effectiveness of ethics consults? Data are often lacking
To demonstrate the effectiveness of clinical ethics consultations, organizations need to show that the outcome was better than it would have been without the ethics consultation, but these data are often lacking. -
Bioethicists "ideally qualified" to help address disruptive behavior
Bioethicists are well-qualified to help address disruptive behavior by physicians, but often aren't involved in this process. -
Microbiome research poses some unique ethical issues
Microbiome research poses many of the same ethical concerns as genetic testing, and also some unique ethical considerations. -
High spiritual support linked to more aggressive end-of-life care
Patients with high spiritual support were more likely to receive aggressive end-of-life medical treatment, according to a recent study. -
Patients apparently eager for pharmacogenics-based prescribing
Pharmacogenics-based prescribing can determine whether individual patients will benefit from certain drugs, and there is broad public support for this. -
Steps needed before pediatric anthrax vaccine trials could be considered
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Ethical "pushback" may be needed with cost-containment efforts
Cost as an ethical concern in health care was addressed in the 2013 Hastings Center Guidelines for Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment and Care Near the End of Life. -
Smartphones posing new ethical challenges with clinical photography
Ethical concerns involving clinical photography using smartphones include patient privacy, unscrupulous use, informed consent, and security.