Medical Ethics Advisor – September 1, 2006
September 1, 2006
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Arrest of Katrina doctor, nurses stirs up strong support for the accused
If, by arresting a doctor and two nurses in the deaths of patients at a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti anticipated being hailed as a hero of the downtrodden and helpless, no doubt the backlash surprised him. -
Malpractice fear only one barrier to disclosing errors
Fear of being sued for malpractice is certainly one obstacle affecting physicians' willingness to disclose medical errors. But other, more personal and altruistic factors may play even bigger roles in whether a doctor decides to reveal his or her own medical errors, according to a University of Iowa bioethicist. -
Are EMTs wasting time with resuscitation efforts?
A new study attempts to validate the argument that emergency medicine services (EMS) not staffed by paramedics could reduce the number of hopeless ambulance trips to the hospital if emergency medical technicians (EMTs) were allowed to end resuscitation efforts sooner in patients who are in cardiac arrest. -
Be assertive in broaching topic of pediatric obesity
When faced with a pediatric patient who has a heart condition that could lead to chronic health problems later in life, a physician rarely would hesitate to bring the condition to the attention of the child's parents and discuss ways to address it. -
Medical journals fail to reveal conflicts of interest
Medical journals nationwide are taking a harder look at their conflict-of-interest or financial disclosure policies, as publications acknowledge a spate of embarrassing examples of journals failing to cite ties between authors and the companies producing the treatments they write about. -
States to get report cards on chronic pain policies
States will be granted "report cards" on their policies on pain management in an attempt to show how well or inadequately U.S. medicine helps cancer patients deal with chronic pain. -
News Briefs
Is your drug database leading you astray?; Women's hearts less well-tended than men's?; AMA statement against MD participation in executions; 'Older, artier' students make better doctors