Physicians operate within a system of regulations, laws, and third-party activities that impose numerous clinical restraints.

Physician gag rules in gun legislation prevent physicians from discussing health issues related to gun ownership with patients, especially parents of children.

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Legislative policies that require a physician to misrepresent the risks of abortion to patients and to show the patient an ultrasound and those that allow physicians not to provide referral for abortion create a conflict between the physician's obligations to the patient and to the law.

Fifty-seven percent of women in a recent large study did not want to view their ultrasounds before their abortions, suggesting that mandated viewing interferes with uncoerced consent to care, a hallmark of medical ethics.

The FDA's decision not to approve generic versions of original-formula OxyContin may keep drug costs high for patients with pain, but the benefits of the newer, abuse-resistant formulation outweigh this harm.

Repeated exposure of an asthmatic child to secondhand smoke that exacerbates her condition is a recognized example of medical neglect.

Some commentators say comparative trials of FDA-approved drugs are overburdened by current Common Rule regulations and that researchers should not be required to obtain explicit consent for participation in the most innocuous of these trials.

Virtual Mentor welcomes your response to recently published articles and commentaries. Send your correspondence to [email protected].